QB Lomax opts to leave Boise State program

Boise State junior quarterback Nick Lomax has left the football program and will transfer to a Division II or Division III school, coach Chris Petersen said Monday.

Lomax had been expected to compete with sophomore Mike Coughlin for the third-string spot behind freshman starter Kellen Moore and senior backup Bush Hamdan.

By transferring to a lower division and sitting out this semester, Lomax can play in 2009 and 2010, Petersen said. He would have been eligible to play in 2008 and 2009 if he moved down to the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA), but finding a team and learning the offense would have made this a lost year anyway.

"I think Nick saw the writing on the wall a little bit and wanted to go play," Petersen said. "When you're a junior and you're kind of the fourth guy, you've got to do what you've got to do."

Lomax, the son of longtime NFL quarterback Neil Lomax, was 6-of-13 for 76 yards last season in a reserve role. He will sit out the fall semester, Petersen said, and the Broncos will help him find a new school.

"He's an awesome kid, a great student," Petersen said. "And he's a good quarterback. He really is. We've just got some good quarterbacks here. We loved having him around."

Petersen also cleared up some confusion caused by the release of the team's depth chart for Saturday's season opener against Idaho State at Bronco Stadium (6:07 p.m., KTVB).

Hamdan is the backup. Coughlin, who was listed as the co-backup, is the third-stringer.

Lomax's departure leaves the Broncos with just three scholarship quarterbacks plus walk-on Drew Hawkins. Next year, they will have Moore, Coughlin, Hawkins and 2009 recruit Joe Southwick of Danville, Calif.

Coughlin finished strong during fall camp and should be a major factor at quarterback down the road, Petersen said.

"Mike's got all the tools," Petersen said of the 6-foot-5, 213-pound, athletic quarterback. "Mike can do some things, especially if he keeps improving like he has."

TWO PLAYERS SUSPENDED

Senior wide receiver Toshi Franklin and sophomore cornerback Keith McGowen, both backups, are suspended for the season opener, Petersen said.

They join junior starting wide receiver Jeremy Childs, whose suspension was announced at the beginning of fall camp.

All three are one-game suspensions.

LINEBACKERS KEEP COMPETING

Petersen said the linebacker situation remains fluid. The depth chart lists freshman Aaron Tevis (strong side), senior Kyle Gingg (middle) and senior Tim Brady (weak side) as the starters. Sophomore Derrell Acrey, who had been expected to start in the middle, is listed as a backup. The shakeup moved Gingg from the weak side and Brady from the strong side.

"Everybody gets so hung up on the depth chart," Petersen said. "This thing is far from over. We've got a lot of good competition going on at many positions. We'll see Derrell in there without question."

TWO WALK-ONS GET SCHOLARSHIPS

Junior wide receiver Michael Choate and redshirt freshman wide receiver Tyler Shoemaker are the latest walk-ons to be given scholarships, Petersen said.

Choate emerged as a special-teams contributor last season after transferring from Garden City Community College in Kansas. Shoemaker was a playmaker on the scout team last year after graduating from Mountain View High in Meridian.

"Great students, they've done the right thing, they've gotten better, they'll be factors in the rotation," Petersen said in explanation.

The Broncos now have put 39 walk-ons on scholarship since 1998.

ILOKA LIKELY TO PLAY

Freshman safety George Iloka, who graduated from high school in January to begin college early, likely will play this year. He enters the season as a backup.

"We're leaning toward playing him," Petersen said.

QUICK HITS

Freshman left tackle Nate Potter is expected to return to practice Tuesday. His status for this week's game is unknown. Potter missed most of fall camp after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery. The offensive linemen have decided not to talk to the media during the regular season for the second straight year.