It’s official: Boise State to start season against top 10 team. ‘We know what’s waiting’
The preseason Associated Press Top 25 college football poll was released while Boise State was deep into its ninth practice of fall camp Monday morning at DeChevrieux Field.
No need to stop the presses: The poll served to confirm what the Broncos already knew. Their season opener against the University of Washington at 1:30 p.m. Sept. 2 (ABC) in Seattle is going to be hefty challenge.
The Huskies, thought to be one of the best teams in the country, checked in at No. 10 in the AP poll after a 2022 campaign that saw them finish 11-2, with a win over Texas in the Alamo Bowl. The Broncos were the only Mountain West team to receive any votes in the poll, finishing with 17 points. That placed them sixth among “others receiving votes.”
“For us in fall camp, it’s all about us. It’s iron sharpening iron. Offense, defense, how can we grow together?” Boise State defensive doordinator Spencer Danielson said Monday. “We know what’s waiting for us September 2. We know the task that’s going to be waiting for us in Seattle.
“Especially defensively, it doesn’t matter who you play. If you can’t communicate, play with good eye control, get to the football and make tackles, it doesn’t matter. So we’re training our guys to be that way. Those are the habits we are creating right now.”
A CliffsNotes version of what’s waiting for the Broncos in Seattle starts with Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
Penix, a senior, finished the 2022 season as the national leader in passing yards per game (357.0) and was second in total passing yards to set the UW single-season record at 4,641. Penix finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting and was named a 2022 All-Pac-12 Second Team selection.
And he will head into this season with arguably two of the Pac-12’s best receivers: Rome Odunze and Jalen McMillan.
Odunze led the Huskies last season with 1,144 receiving yards and was second in receptions (75). He also led the Pac-12 in reception yards on his way to being named All-Pac-12 First Team and an AP All-America Third Team selection. McMillan finished with 1,098 receiving yards, the seventh-most in program history.
“Obviously, we’ve done some preseason opponent scout. We’ve been through different things doing our due diligence,” Danielson said. “But we’re focused on us. We want to be the most disciplined defense. We want to be a relentless defense.”
QB2 race ongoing
Backup quarterbacks Maddux Madsen and CJ Tiller both got a chance to get on the field during Saturday’s scrimmage. Boise State offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan said the team hasn’t settled on a primary backup for starter Taylen Green just yet.
The competition will continue throughout this week, Hamdan said.
“Maddux Madsen, from a completion percentage standpoint, I mean, the guy is pretty composed,” Hamdan said. “I think we saw that out of him certainly in the spring game. He knows where to go with the ball and he’s never too high, never too low.
“CJ Tiller, on the other hand, he’s got some pretty impressive arm talent and the ability to make plays.”
This story was originally published August 14, 2023 at 4:00 PM.
