Boise State star-crossed QB Hank Bachmeier missed two games with COVID-19
The last time Boise State sophomore quarterback Hank Bachmeier started back-to-back weeks was in early October 2019, when he was emerging as a young star.
He’s expected to do that again Saturday — 13 months later — and against the same opponent that derailed his 2019 season: Hawaii.
Bachmeier missed the Air Force win and BYU loss this season after testing positive for COVID-19, he told the media Tuesday. He returned last week to help the Broncos (3-1 overall, 3-0 Mountain West) beat Colorado State.
“I can’t control injuries. I can’t control a global pandemic,” Bachmeier said. “They’re all things that are kind of out of my sphere of control. It stinks, but they’re things that I can’t control. But I can control how prepared I am.”
Bachmeier went 6-0 as the starter last season before he was injured in the regular-season win against Hawaii. He missed the loss to BYU, returned to beat San Jose State and got injured again, then missed the final four regular-season games and the Mountain West title game against Hawaii.
He was back in the lineup for the bowl loss to Washington — then didn’t get to play for 10 months as the Broncos waited for a belated green light to compete during the pandemic.
In all, Bachmeier is 9-1 as a starter, and the Broncos are 6-2 without him.
Bachmeier is 36-for-56 for 470 yards and four touchdowns without an interception this season. In his two starts, the Broncos outscored the opponents 94-34.
“Having him out there, his sense of urgency, his operation, that helps our offense,” coach Bryan Harsin said after Saturday’s win.
Bachmeier watched one game this season from home (Air Force, when backup Jack Sears was terrific in a win) and another from the sideline (BYU, a loss in which Sears was knocked out with a potential head injury).
Bachmeier learned that he tested positive before practice early in the Air Force game week, he said. He was asymptomatic, he said, and completed isolation in time to watch the BYU game from the field. He wasn’t cleared to return to action until the day after the BYU game, he said, because of cardiac and other required tests.
He participated in quarterback meetings and stayed in touch with the game plan during his isolation to keep his mind sharp and assist his teammates.
“It was definitely frustrating,” he said.
His 4-month-old, 70-pound puppy — a Great Pyrenees/Maremma mix — kept him company. He also spent more time watching Netflix than usual, he said.
Physical activity in a two-bedroom apartment was difficult to find.
“I tried to channel my inner Bruce Lee and do some pushups and things along those lines,” he said.
Bachmeier was the first Bronco to miss a game because of a positive test this season. He was among four who were out with positive tests against BYU. That number rose to nine players out with positive tests last week, plus five out because they were close contacts of positive cases.
Bachmeier said he doesn’t know how he contracted the virus. The team, he said, is following the advice they’ve been given to stay healthy.
“This team is very responsible,” he said. “We’re not going out and doing parties. We have a goal, and we’re trying to accomplish that goal by any means necessary. And if that’s to stay home on a Friday night, that’s what we’re going to do.”
MW basketball schedules announced
The Boise State men’s basketball team will begin Mountain West play Dec. 3 and 5 at home against New Mexico, the conference announced Tuesday. The conference has switched its schedule for this season to 10 two-game series for each team — back-to-back games either at home or on the road against the same opponent.
The Broncos resume conference play Dec. 31 and Jan. 2 at San Jose State. The other home series are against Air Force (Jan. 6, 8), Fresno State (Jan. 21, 23), UNLV (Feb. 11, 13) and Utah State (Feb. 18, 20). The other road series are against Wyoming (Jan. 11, 13), Colorado State (Jan. 28, 30), Nevada (Feb. 5, 7) and San Diego State (Feb. 25, 27). San Diego State and Boise State were picked 1-2 in the preseason poll and will close the season head to head.
The dates of men’s games could be altered for TV purposes. Boise State still hasn’t announced its nonconference schedule.
The women’s team has the opposite schedule. Dates for the opening series against New Mexico haven’t been set. The first home games are Dec. 31 and Jan. 2 against San Jose State. The regular season concludes at home Feb. 24-26 against San Diego State. The other home series are against Wyoming (Jan. 11, 13), Colorado State (Jan. 27, 29) and Nevada (Feb. 5, 7). The other road series are against Air Force (Jan. 6, 8), Fresno State (Jan. 21, 23), UNLV (Feb. 11, 13) and Utah State (Feb. 18, 20).
Apsey move was ‘collaborative’
Boise State President Marlene Tromp met with the media Tuesday for the first time since Athletic Director Curt Apsey stepped down Oct. 21. Pressed about why Apsey was moving into a university fundraising role, Tromp said it was a “collaborative” decision with Apsey.
Apsey’s departure comes at a time when the athletic department is dealing with heavy financial losses tied to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before he exited, Apsey shut down the baseball and swimming and diving programs as cost-cutting measures.
“He had to make some really, really tough decisions, so we were constantly in dialogue,” Tromp said. “It’s hard to let someone make that transition at a time when you love working with them so much. But you also respect that this is a great opportunity for a great leader to come in, too, and follow Curt.”
Apsey was the athletic director for five years. He hasn’t spoken to the media since stepping down.
BOISE STATE AT HAWAII
When: 9 p.m. MT Saturday
Where: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu
TV: CBS Sports Network (John Sadak, Randy Cross). That’s channel 139 on Sparklight, 221 on DirecTV and 158 on Dish Network.
Radio: KBOI 670 AM/KTIK 93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)
Records: Boise State 3-1, 3-0 Mountain West; Hawaii 2-2, 2-2.
Series: Boise State leads 14-3 (last meeting: Boise State won 31-10 in the 2019 Mountain West championship game in Boise)
Vegas line: Boise State by 14
Weather: High of 83 degrees, 22 mph wind
This story was originally published November 17, 2020 at 4:32 PM.
