SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — The Boise State Equipment Team faces unique logistical challenges as they prepare for the upcoming Fiesta Bowl. Two dozen workers are responsible for setting up a practice facility that brings a home-like experience for the team away from Boise.
Blake Schulte, the Assistant Equipment Director for BSU Football, detailed the team's meticulous preparations.
"There's a check for this, a checklist for the bags, there's a checklist for the belts, there's a checklist for the gloves. When we go on the road... whether it's a practice site or game site, we organize it by position, then by numbers, so if we have running backs first, we'll do Breezy number one, then Ashton number two, and then Wilkie number 19," Schulte explained.
The choice of Scottsdale for their two-day practice facility was intentional.
"The practice facility that they set up for us matches the playing surface of our game site," Schulte noted. "An advance team came down after the Mountain West Championship and took a million photos so we could see [the space] at home— so we know what this looks like. We have floor plans, we [see] the layout and then we know what to pack and what it looks like going into everything."
On game day, the Broncos will don their "Fiesta" uniforms, featuring a blue helmet, white jersey, and orange pants. This look has proven successful for the team in past appearances.
When asked about his thoughts upon leaving Boise, Schulte admitted, "Thinking about what we forgot. Knock on wood, we haven't done a whole lot of forgetting."
