Boise State’s defensive line was depleted by injuries, COVID-19. Help is on the way
After transferring to Boise State last spring from Long Beach City College, defensive end Shane Irwin expected to be eased into the rotation.
But you know what they say about the best-laid plans.
Thanks to injuries and absences because of COVID-19, Irwin not only got thrown into the fire last season, but became a mainstay on the defensive line and led the team with six sacks.
“I was the new guy, you know?” Irwin told reporters on Wednesday. “The new guy usually has to prove himself.”
Dressing the four interior defensive linemen required by the Mountain West Conference’s COVID-19 protocols was such a struggle last fall that Boise State had to switch offensive lineman Ben Dooley to defense in a home win over Colorado State.
Players missing time because of positive tests or contact tracing still might be a reality this fall, but the Broncos are expecting some reinforcements in the trenches as players return.
Defensive end Demitri Washington (knee) and interior linemen Herbert Gums (knee) and Keeghan Freeborn (ankle) were lost last fall to season-ending injuries. They are not practicing this spring as they continue to rehab, but new coach Andy Avalos said earlier this month that Washington is ahead of schedule and that all of them should be good to go by fall camp in August.
The top of the rotation will be anchored again by Scale Igiehon and Scott Matlock on the interior and Irwin and Washington at defensive end.
The team’s added depth on the defensive line and its open competition at STUD might convince Boise State’s coaches to move Washington back to the position most expected him to play last season (STUD). That decision won’t be made until the fall, co-defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson told the Statesman earlier this month. And if it were to happen, he said both Matlock and Cravens can step in at end because it’s so similar to tackle in the Broncos’ three-man front.
Igiehon suffered an ankle injury in the season opener and was hobbled by it most of the season, despite missing only the Broncos’ game against Colorado State. He’s healthy and on the field this spring, Avalos said Thursday.
Nose tackle Divine Obichere and defensive tackle Jackson Cravens are also back after seeing snaps last year. The Broncos can also turn to 282-pound tackle Michael Callahan, who is in his third year with the program.
A deep rotation in the trenches is music to Irwin’s ears.
“I think something that took a toll on all the D-linemen last year was playing so many snaps,” he said. “Throughout a whole season, that’s obviously going to take a toll on your body, but having dependable depth, we’ll always be fresh out there ... we’ll always be able to play with the most effort and best technique that we can.”
Irwin expected to play behind Washington last season and get some snaps to show the coaches what he could do. But Washington was lost for the season to a knee injury he suffered in week two at Air Force, and the 6-foot-3, 265-pound native of Palos Verdes, California, was thrust into the spotlight.
Irwin played about 20 snaps in the season opener against Utah State and recorded his first sack as a Bronco. But as injuries and absences mounted, he quickly found himself playing four times that many snaps.
“You learn a lot about yourself when you’re playing in Hawaii and you go 15 straight reps,” Irwin said. “You learn how to dig deep and how to get past mental and physical blocks.”
In a perfect world, Irwin won’t ever have to play that many snaps in a game again, but if there’s one thing his first season at Boise State taught him, it’s that he can if needed.
“The biggest thing I know is I’m here for a reason,” he said. “I want to prove that I’m one of the best payers in this conference.”
DL depth chart
The most important thing improved depth in the trenches will achieve, Irwin said, is making good on new defensive line coach Frank Maile’s promise that it will be the most aggressive unit on the field.
“We’ve got to be the baddest group of guys on the team at all times,” Irwin said.
Here’s what Boise State’s depth chart will look like at the position if Washington moves back to STUD.
The starters
NT Scale Igiehon, Sr., 6-2, 286 — Igiehon likely has the most upside of the group. There’s a good chance he would have started as a sophomore had he not been playing behind a veteran group, led by David Moa, Chase Hatada and Sonatane Lui. Avalos said Thursday that the Del Valle, Texas, native is healthy this spring and moving better than ever.
“He looks great moving around,” Avalos said. “He has developed his burst and his quickness is elite.”
DT Scott Matlock, R-Jr., 6-4, 296 — Igiehon may be the star of the group, but Matlock is its emotional leader. The Homedale native has appeared in 17 games the past two seasons, and he posted 22 tackles and two sacks last fall.
“Ever since I got here, I knew he was the guy who was going to be the leader of the D-line,” Irwin said. “Basically from the second I got here, he’s made his presence known.”
DE Shane Irwin, R-Sr., 6-3, 265 — After initially signing with San Diego State out of high school, Irwin spent two seasons at Long Beach City College. He appeared in every game last season, starting five, and led the Broncos with 6.5 sacks.
Next in line
NT Divine Obichere, Sr., 6-3, 306 — Another transfer from Long Beach City College, Obichere had to work himself into shape after arriving on campus last summer. He recorded his first sack as a Bronco in the season opener, and his snaps increased in the latter half of the season. He finished with 18 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
DT Jackson Cravens, R-Jr., 6-2, 300 — Cravens joined the team in 2019 after transferring from Utah. He sat out that year and appeared in five games last season. He posted 160 tackles during his junior season at Timpview High School in Utah.
Players to watch
NT Herbert Gums, R-Fr., 6-1, 298 — Gums tore an ACL in practice during the week leading up to last season’s win over Colorado State and missed the rest of the year. He was one of the highlights of the Broncos’ 2020 recruiting class, and he’s athletic enough that he played running back as a sophomore at Diboll High School in Texas.
DT Robert Cooper, R-Fr., 6-3, 273 — Cooper was rated as one of the top 10 recruits in Washington last year by ESPN. Through eight games as a senior at Bethel High School, he posted 39 tackles and six sacks.
