He has ‘an arm on him’: Taylen Green keeps Boise State in control of Mountain West race
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Boise State 49, Colorado State 10
Quarterback Taylen Green was 24-of-30 passing for a career high 305 yards and two touchdowns as the Broncos overwhelmed the Rams and remained in the driver’s seat for the Mountain West championship game.
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Former Boise State wide receiver Khalil Shakir was ahead of the curve when it comes to quarterback Taylen Green’s skills as a passer.
Standing outside of Boise State’s Caven-Williams Sports Complex in March, Shakir couldn’t help but rave about Green’s arm after the redshirt freshman threw for him in front of NFL scouts at pro day.
“Taylen has an arm on him,” said Shakir, who was picked by Buffalo in the fifth round of the draft. “He’s a young cat, and I think he’s going to have a huge impact here in the years to come.”
Shakir’s words proved to be prophetic on Saturday.
A week after posting a career-high 227 passing yards against Air Force, Green set a new career mark with 305 yards through the air as Boise State crushed Colorado State 49-10 and improved to 5-0 in Mountain West play.
“He was in a zone tonight,” Boise State coach Andy Avalos said. “We saw him hit some throws off the last step in his drop, keep things on time and put the ball where it needed to be.”
Green, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound native of Allen, Texas, is known more as a dangerous runner than a quarterback who is going to drop back in the pocket and deliver precise passes. But he proved Saturday night that he’s not dangerous just with his legs.
Green completed passes to nine different receivers and threw for two touchdowns. His first was an 8-yard strike to tight end Riley Smith, who made a great catch in the back of the end zone. Green’s second TD pass was a 15-yard bullet to wide receiver Billy Bowens, which gave the Broncos (6-2 overall) their final score late in the third quarter.
“He’s an amazing passer, and he wants to throw first,” Bowens said. “Even on the sideline, he’s telling us, ‘I’m looking downfield trying to find you guys, so stay alive.’”
Green got the most out of his wide receivers on Saturday. Bowens (4 catches, 73 yards) and Stefan Cobbs (4 catches, 91 yards) both posted season highs in receiving yards. Redshirt freshman Eric McAllister hauled in two passes, including one that covered 33 yards.
“I love seeing him grow,” Bowens said of Green. “He did a great job tonight of going through his progression and keeping his eyes down the field.”
Green didn’t run the ball very often Saturday. He called his own number just three times and finished with 13 yards on the ground, but he also scored on an impressive run. Early in the third quarter, Green faked a handoff and sprinted around the left side of the Broncos’ line, leaving a string of defenders in his wake. He juked left, evading a tackler near the line of scrimmage, cut back to his right, making another Ram miss, and ran through contact near the goal line on a 10-yard run that gave Boise State a 35-10 lead.
Bowens, watching from the end zone, said he was speechless.
“It was amazing to watch,” Bowens said. “I didn’t know what to do. I’m trying to block and I don’t know if he’s down. He keeps moving and I just put my hands up and shake my head.”
Green got some help Saturday from a backfield that was pretty beat up a week ago.
Running back George Holani, who was a late scratch last week at Air Force, looked healthy against the Rams. He posted three touchdown runs — one shy of his career high — and finished with 108 rushing yards. It was his fourth 100-yard game of the season.
Freshman running back Ashton Jeanty missed the second half last week because of an injury. He was limited on Saturday, but he finished with nine carries for 37 yards and a 1-yard touchdown, which gave the Broncos a 28-3 lead late in the second quarter. Third-string running back Elelyon Noa got in the game late and posted 47 yards on seven carries.
Green and the offense racked up a season-high 514 yards on Saturday. They also got plenty of help from the defense, which seems to get a little more dominant each week.
The Broncos didn’t allow a point in the second half on Saturday. They recorded five sacks, forced eight punts and limited Colorado State to 1-for-12 on third down.
Boise State also held the Rams (2-6, 2-2 MW) to minus-14 rushing yards in the first half, and they finished with just 3 total yards on the ground.
“Everybody just does their assignment and their 1/11th,” said defensive lineman Divine Obichere, who started in place of an injured Scott Matlock and had two sacks. “When that happens, we get good results.”
Colorado State’s only touchdown of the night was scored late in the second quarter on a 76-yard pass from quarterback Clay Millen to wide receiver Justus Ross-Simmons.
“We obviously weren’t good enough tonight,” Rams coach Jay Norvell said. “They’re better defensively than they have been the last couple of years, and their quarterback played really good tonight. He’s a really big athlete, and he’s starting to come into his own.”
Boise State was 2-2 and in turmoil just a month ago after offensive coordinator Tim Plough was fired and starting quarterback Hank Bachmeier transferred. Now the Broncos are on a four-game winning streak, and they control their own destiny in the race to host the Mountain West championship game.
The Broncos are the only team in the Mountain West that is undefeated in conference play. The rest of the league schedule is made up of road games at Nevada (Nov. 12) and Wyoming (Nov. 19), and a home game against Utah State (Nov. 25). Boise State will be favored to win all of them.
It has been quite the turnaround, but Obichere said it hasn’t come as a surprise to anyone on the Broncos.
“In our locker room, we’ve always known what we can do,” Obichere said. “When we do it, like we have been, we get these results.”
Boise State hosts BYU next Saturday in a nonconference game. It will air on FS1 or FS2, and kickoff time is expected to be announced on Monday.
This story was originally published October 29, 2022 at 11:48 PM.
