Boise State will try to invigorate run game against one of nation’s best defenses

It will not be remembered as one of the great drives in Boise State football history, but the Broncos hope the last possession of their win Saturday at Wyoming was a step forward.

Struggling to run the ball consistently for the third time in four games, the Broncos picked up 40 yards on 11 runs.

“I liked the way we finished in the fourth quarter, especially when basically everybody knows in the world we’re gonna run,” quarterback Brett Rypien said.

The 161 yards rushing against the Cowboys were the second-most for Boise State in its last eight games dating back to last season. The Broncos are 68th nationally (176.5 yards per game) in rushing offense, but minus the 400 yards against an odious UConn defense, it’s just 102 ypg.

“When we get defeated up front, that’s where we identify problems,” Boise State coach Bryan Harsin said. “I don’t know what we are, but I know we’re throwing the heck out of the ball.

“When there’s an equal advantage in the run game and we have to block people, I don’t think we’ve done that well enough yet.”

Finding more room for junior Alexander Mattison and company is a major issue. The run game got off to a similarly slow start last September, but Mattison was coming back from an injury. There is no such rust this year.

Harsin said the team’s longest run, a 22-yarder by Andrew Van Buren with a minute left at Wyoming, was blocked “decently, not fantastic.” Rypien said after the game “there are still some things that we can be better at in the run game,” and at Oklahoma State Harsin lamented backs needing to miss tackles just to get to the line of scrimmage.

If it all starts up front, that’s where the improvement must come — and come quickly.

“A lot of it is game-planned by defenses. We’re not going to give up on it. Keep pushing forward and stay physical at the line of scrimmage,” junior guard John Molchon said.

There may not be a better test to truly show how far the Broncos have to go, or how far they’ve come, than Saturday. San Diego State is No. 2 in the nation in rush defense (64.5 ypg) and allows just 2.1 yards per carry.

Though Boise State said if there is an advantage, the Broncos will take it, it’s no secret the run must be at least a viable threat. Last season, Mattison ran for 128 yards in San Diego, after having just 166 yards the first four games. He has 281 yards this season, 166 outside of the UConn rout.

“There’s lots of different things we’re seeing ... that’s something we have to handle better,” Mattison said, adding “whether we have a 400-yard game, a 100-yard game ... we’re going to play Boise State football no matter what.”

ROCKY LONG WALKS IT BACK

Well, it was a hot-button topic while it lasted.

San Diego State coach Rocky Long’s infamous jabs about the Albertsons Stadium’s blue turf and its “mystique” riled up fans and coaches at Boise State since he said it in 2014. Long had said the Broncos’ home prowess wasn’t a mystical thing, that they were beatable. He also had believed if anything, wearing blue uniforms on the blue field gave a slight advantage.

But this week, he squashed any further chatter on that, calling it “my mistake.”

“Once the game starts, they don’t even notice the color,” Long said Tuesday. “I’ve had hundreds of players tell me that. So the players have convinced me that if you’ve never played there before, after warmups it’s a football game.”

Harsin was fired up when he heard the comments four years ago, that the Broncos don’t like to be talked about that way and later taking a shot at the Aztecs’ home field, but said Monday he also has “a little more maturity.”

NEW RULE, ODD CONSEQUENCES

When the NCAA passed the new redshirt rule in June, Harsin said his staff celebrated, and though he still likes the change, it has provided an unexpected consequence for many teams.

Players can appear in up to four games and maintain their one redshirt season. For just about everyone, it was thought of as a benefit for depth and freshmen to get their feet wet — but some have used it as a way to transfer without burning a year’s eligibility.

Clemson quarterback Kelly Bryant was the most notable, but the list also included Oklahoma State receiver Jalen McCleskey, who had three catches against Boise State.

“Now Week 4 every year is going to be the trade deadline, and everyone is going to make decisions,” Clemson receiver Hunter Renfrow said, according to ESPN.

Boise State has not seen anyone leave the team in that fashion, but it also has yet to test the change. Three true freshmen (receiver Khalil Shakir, nose tackle Scale Igiehon and running back Andrew Van Buren) have played, and if they’re shelved the rest of the way, could be redshirt freshmen in 2019. That won’t happen. Harsin plans to use them all year.

But what about those who haven’t played yet? They could’ve been put in during the 62-7 blowout against UConn, but you may see it happen later — “it’s a long season,” defensive coordinator Andy Avalos said about how Boise State will utilize the increase in numbers.

“We have all these games now to play with for some of these guys that are ‘redshirting,’ ” Harsin said. “... I wouldn’t change the rule. I think it’s a great rule, but I think there are some things we may look at, like is this the intent?

“It’s far outweighed some of those unintended consequences.”

QUICK HITS

Mattison had a 13-yard TD run at Wyoming in which he hurdled a defender, something he’s done a few times at Boise State. Harsin joked Monday, “That’s just the way we drew it up, too … we told him you’re going to have to make four people miss and leap the last guy at the end to score.” ... San Diego State punter Brandon Heicklen spent 2017 spring practices on Boise State’s roster, but joined the Aztecs that summer. ... Bishop Kelly grad Cameron Foley is a freshman walk-on safety for the Aztecs. ... San Diego State has one or zero turnovers in six straight road games.

SAN DIEGO STATE AT BOISE STATE

When: 1:30 p.m. Saturday

Where: Albertsons Stadium (36,387, FieldTurf)

TV: ESPNU (Mike Couzens, Kirk Morrison); CableOne ch. 136/1136, DirecTV ch. 208, Dish Network ch. 141

Radio: KBOI 670 AM/KTIK 93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)

Records: BSU 3-1, 1-0 (beat Wyoming 34-14 on Saturday); San Diego State 3-1, 0-0 (beat Eastern Michigan 23-20 in OT on Sept. 22)

Series: Boise State leads 3-2 (won 31-17 at SDSU on Oct. 14, 2017)

Vegas line: Boise State by 14

Weather: Mid-50s, mostly cloudy, light winds

Tickets: $54 to $89; stop by the ticket office on the west side of Albertsons Stadium, visit BroncoSports.com/tickets or call 208-426-4737. Boise State reported that fewer than 1,000 tickets remain as of Thursday afternoon.