Three 2022 starters are in NFL. Who emerges as star in Boise State’s rebuilt secondary?
Editor’s note: This is the fifth installment of a series exploring the top 10 questions surrounding the Boise State football team this season. Articles will run every Tuesday and Thursday in July and will be accompanied by a video online featuring Idaho Statesman reporter Ron Counts and Boise State super-fan Jacob Bleymaier. The videos will also appear on his Bronco Bleymaier YouTube channel.
Boise State fans got a sneak peek at some new players in the secondary during the Frisco Bowl last December.
Safety JL Skinner, nickel Tyreque Jones and cornerback Kaonohi Kaniho were ruled out with unspecified injuries before the game. Cornerback Caleb Biggers left with an injury and didn’t return.
Safety Rodney Robinson was joined by longtime backup Alexander Teubner, who started for Skinner. Seyi Oladipo made his first start at nickel and cornerback Jaylen Clark made the first start of his career.
The loss of that many starters could derail a team, but that wasn’t the case for the Broncos. Robinson, Teubner, Oladipo and Clark combined for 29 tackles, six pass breakups and an interception in Boise State’s 35-32 victory.
“I was very excited about what we were able to do with the group we had in the bowl game,” Boise State safeties coach Kane Ioane said. “We feel really good about what we have coming back in the secondary as a whole, and we feel like we have a really bright future.”
Despite the late-season success, Ioane knows he has his work cut out for him when it comes to identifying the next generation of stars in the secondary.
The Broncos have to replace four defensive backs with starting experience this year, including Skinner, who was picked by the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of the NFL Draft. Jones, a five-year starter who played safety and nickel, signed with the Tennessee Titans as an undrafted free agent.
Biggers, who started 22 games the past two seasons, signed as an undrafted free agent with the Cleveland Browns, and fellow cornerback Tyric LeBeauf is also gone.
“It’s never easy to replace great players,” Ioane said. “It begins with understanding this is a team game, and nobody has to do it all by themselves. We don’t need them to be JL or Tyreque. We need them to be the best versions of themselves on a daily basis.”
The most experienced safety on the roster this year is Robinson, a 5-8, 185-pound redshirt junior. The San Bernardino, California, native has started 16 games the past two seasons, including 13 last year. He finished second on the team with three interceptions last season.
He was also No. 5 on the team with 48 tackles, and Ioane said that what Robinson lacks in height, he more than makes up for with consistency and effort.
“Rodney did a really good job of being efficient and making plays when they came his way,” Ioane said. “He’s a year older and wiser, and I expect him to take that next step and be a leader on this defense this year.”
Robinson isn’t shy about being vocal on the field, which Ioane said is part of what makes him an ideal candidate to replace the likes of Skinner, Jones and defensive tackle Scott Matlock as a defensive leader.
And he’s not the only member of the secondary with a chance to make a name for himself this year.
A star in the making
Any list of Boise State defensive backs with a chance to take their game to an all-conference level has to begin with Oladipo.
The 5-11, 200-pound junior from Centennial, Colorado, has already seen significant playing time at field safety, where Skinner once roamed, and nickel, a position that requires the tackling ability and instincts of a safety, along with the coverage skills of a cornerback.
He made his first start at nickel in the Frisco Bowl, where he racked up a career-high 11 tackles and broke up a third-down pass late in the game.
Oladipo said in March that he feels like nickel is his job to lose this year. Wisconsin transfer Titus Toler and redshirt sophomore Zion Washington also saw some snaps there in the spring.
“Last year, I was stressing to learn the position,” Oladipo said. “I was so timid about it, but I got to see (Jones) and how he played loose and aggressive, and I’m just going to apply those lessons.”
There’s no questioning whether he has a nose for the ball.
Oladipo snagged two interceptions in the Broncos’ 2021 home opener against UTEP, which was the first extended action of his career. He also returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown in a win over Utah State last season.
Ioane said Oladipo has grown by leaps and bounds as a tackler compared to this time last year, and expectations are high for a DB who once described himself as a “utility player.”
Who fills Skinner’s shoes?
One of the biggest decisions Ioane and defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson have to make is choosing Skinner’s replacement.
They could go with Teubner, who backed up Skinner the past two seasons and is beloved by his teammates for his ability to perform when called upon. He started five games last season and posted a career-high 12 tackles in the Frisco Bowl.
Teubner is not the physical specimen Skinner is. He checks in at 5-11 and 194 pounds, but he hasn’t let much stand in his way. A special teams regular, he blocked the first kick of his career in 2021 and notched 37 tackles last season.
“He’s just another example of a guy who does things right,” Danielson said. “It’s not about him and his stats and his awards. It’s about making the guys around him better.”
If Teubner doesn’t win the job, the Broncos could turn to Toler, who spent four seasons in the Big Ten after coming out of high school as a four-star recruit. He played in five games for the Badgers in 2022 after missing the 2021 season with an injury.
“Expectations are different when you add a transfer from a big-time program,” Ioane said. “You’re not bringing those guys in to sit on the bench, but at the same time, we have to figure out where he fits best.”
Who joins Reed at corner?
Fifth-year senior Markel Reed is the favorite to start at one of the cornerback spots, assuming he’s healthy. He missed spring ball while rehabbing from his second-straight season-ending injury, and he’s had three surgeries in three years.
His size (6-0, 190), instincts and his skill as a tackler make him one of the top corners on the roster, according to his position coach, Demario Warren.
“He’s got something you can’t teach: experience,” Warren said. “He’s been in there with live bullets flying, and he’s proven he has what it takes to get the job done. Now he just has to get back to that level.”
As for the other cornerback slot, the coaches could go with Kaniho, a redshirt junior who is the younger brother of longtime Boise State defensive back Kekaula Kaniho. The younger Kaniho (6-0, 180) is taller than his brother. He’s also battle-tested, having started 17 games the past two seasons.
Kaniho’s inconsistent play and injuries at the position also opened the door for redshirt junior Clark to make his first career start in the Frisco Bowl. He finished the game with three pass breakups and the first interception of his career.
Clark is a physical specimen. His combination of size (6-2, 200) and athleticism make him a coach’s dream, Warren said.
“He certainly has the physical tools,” Warren said. “Now it’s about understanding the mental side of the game and learning how to prepare like a starter.”
The wildcard in this position battle is Laney College transfer A’Marion McCoy, who ended spring practice as one of the Broncos’ leaders in interceptions. He picked off four passes last season at Laney.
McCoy is 6-1, giving him the height to compete with taller wide receivers. If he doesn’t start, he at the very least should add dependable depth at corner.
This story was originally published July 18, 2023 at 4:00 AM.
