‘Ferocious,’ ‘special’: Five newcomers to watch at Boise State football spring game
The Boise State football team will take the field in Albertsons Stadium for its annual spring game at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday.
It will be the first time fans have a chance to file into the stadium to watch the Broncos play since a 37-0 win over New Mexico last November.
Some familiar players will be in action.
Running back George Holani, the Broncos’ leading rusher in two of the past three seasons, has been healthy this spring after struggling through a hamstring injury for most of last season.
Quarterback Hank Bachmeier, a senior likely to win the starting job for a fourth straight year, has also been on the practice field all spring despite having knee surgery in December. Both should get some snaps on Saturday, but don’t expect either to carry a heavy workload.
The spring game is more important to newcomers and young players, who are still trying to get used to the speed of the college game or adjust to a new system.
Here are five newcomers to watch when Boise State plays on the blue turf Saturday.
RB Ashton Jeanty, Fr., 5-8, 200
Boise State coach Andy Avalos hasn’t been shy about setting lofty expectations for Jeanty this year. Avalos also said the freshman running back from Frisco, Texas, is already living up to them.
Jeanty showed a physical running style in the Broncos’ first spring scrimmage and ran over a couple of defenders in short-yardage situations, Avalos said. He described Jeanty as more explosive in the second scrimmage last Saturday, and said he ripped off a 65-yard run.
“He can make things happen when he has the ball,” Avalos said. “He still has a lot of growing to do. He hasn’t had to block anyone in a game yet, but he has the potential to be special.”
Jeanty will probably open the season as the No. 2 running back on Boise State’s depth chart. He looks physically prepared to play, and he put up impressive numbers in high school, rushing for 1,843 yards and 31 touchdowns last year. He also had 42 receptions for 803 yards and 10 more touchdowns as a senior at Lone Star High School.
QB Sam Vidlak, R-Fr., 6-1, 187
Vidlak joined the Broncos in January after he spent his freshman year at Oregon State, where his only appearance in a game was in a lopsided win over Idaho.
The native of Appleton, Oregon, was named state offensive player of the year as a junior at Hidden Valley High School in 2019. Vidlak led the state that year with 3,404 passing yards and 44 touchdowns, and helped Hidden Valley reach its first state championship game in 41 years.
Vidlak has impressed Boise State’s coaches with his ability to absorb the playbook in such a short amount of time, and offensive coordinator Tim Plough said Vidlak and fellow redshirt freshman quarterback Taylen Green are both going to play a lot on Saturday.
“Sam is a ferocious competitor,” Plough said. “He’s very intelligent and has as strong of an arm as anyone on the team.”
OL Cade Beresford, R-Sr., 6-7, 300
Beresford also joined the program in January after transferring out of the Pac-12. He started eight games at Washington State last season as a guard, but he’s been playing right tackle this spring.
“He was probably one of the most important offseason acquisitions, not only as a player but as an older guy,” Plough said. “He’s been having a great camp, and he’s going to help us a lot.”
Beresford, who played in 13 games in four seasons at Washington State, is a legacy at Boise State. His father, Harry, played left tackle for the Broncos from 1991 to 1993.
There would not seem to be many spots on Boise State’s offensive line that are truly up for grabs this season. Six of the Broncos’ linemen have starting experience, including Beresford.
John Ojuwku has started at left tackle the past two seasons and probably will again. Garrett Curran and Ben Dooley have both started games at guard, Will Farrar has started at guard and center, and Kekaniokoa Holomalia-Gonzalez is back at center after missing all of last season for undisclosed reasons.
Uzo Osuji ended last season as the starter at right tackle, but he’s out of eligibility. He was one of eight former Broncos who worked out for NFL scouts at the school’s pro day on March 30.
Right tackle might be Beresford’s job to lose. He could earn some job security Saturday.
Edge George Tarlas, 6yr-Sr., 6-3, 260
Tarlas is yet another transfer who joined the program in January. He spent the past five seasons at Weber State, recording 17 career sacks.
After spending his high school career at Caldwell and Borah, Tarlas decided to return to Idaho for his final year of eligibility. He has a chance to fill a major need for the Broncos, who are desperate to produce a more consistent pass rush off the edge.
Tarlas will likely split reps this season with fellow edge rushers Demitri Washington, Shane Irwin, Deven Wright and Isaiah Bagnah, who has been out this spring with an injury. But Tarlas earned the nickname “The Greek Freak” at Weber State for a reason, and he’ll have his first chance to show Boise State fans what he can do Saturday.
DE Cortez Hogans Jr., R-Sr, 6-3, 270
Hogans is one of two junior college transfers who joined the Broncos in January. Wright also joined the team after a couple of seasons in the JUCO ranks.
Hogans will be a key piece on the defensive line this season, Boise State defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson said, because he can both rush the passer and handle himself well against the run.
Inserting Hogans into the lineup will allow Danielson and his staff to move Irwin from defensive end to edge, where he can better utilize his athleticism, the coordinator said. Boise State also can move veteran defensive lineman Scott Matlock around to create favorable matchups.
“He can play multiple positions,” Danielson said of Hogans. “We’ve thrown a lot on him, that’s what you do in spring ball, and he’s handled it well.”
