Boise State football quarterback profile: Riley Smith
Boise State begins spring football practices Friday and, from the start, no position will be scrutinized more than quarterback.
With Brett Rypien having graduated, the job to replace him is wide open, with four scholarship players taking part in spring ball, two of them true freshmen. A fifth, sophomore Chase Cord, is rehabbing a torn ACL he suffered in October, with a return for fall camp targeted.
“It’s an exciting time,” offensive coordinator Zak Hill said. “… They’re all hungry.”
We will take a look at the competitors as the start of practices draw near, from the eldest to the youngest.
Other QBs: Jaylon Henderson, Chase Cord, Hank Bachmeier, Kaiden Bennett.
RILEY SMITH
Vitals: 6-foot-4, 206 pounds, redshirt freshman
Stats: As a senior at Bartram Trail High in Jacksonville, Fla., he threw for 1,495 yards and 18 TDs while rushing for 633 yards and eight TDs in 2017.
Analysis: When he signed, it was no secret Smith was raw, having split time in high school with current Auburn QB Joey Gatewood. From how coaches have described Smith, he’s still a work in progress. But with a big frame and some athleticism, he’s an enticing prospect. He has a strong arm, but there is a lot more to process to become a starting QB at Boise State. The Broncos’ recent track record of late additions at the position hasn’t been good (Alex Ogle, Jake Constantine). Can Smith, who was a late replacement in the signing class for BYU’s Zach Wilson, buck the trend?
Quotable: “Riley is one of those guys that’s very smart, he picks it up really quickly. He’s a big body, still athletic … working some fundamental things with him. What I want to see with him is really good decisions. He knows what it is in the meeting room now, but how does it apply to practice?” — Offensive coordinator Zak Hill
This story was originally published February 24, 2019 at 3:32 PM.
