Boise State must fill Scott Matlock’s spot on defense. Can one of his best friends do it?
Boise State defensive tackle Michael Callahan graduated with degrees in business administration and entrepreneurship management last spring.
He’s a three-time Academic All-Mountain West selection and has twice been named a Mountain West Scholar-Athlete.
Heading into his redshirt senior year with the Broncos, Callahan is ready to earn some accolades on the field that match his off-field excellence.
“He’s been working his tail off for a lot of years,” Boise State defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson said. “He’s always been maybe two, maybe three on the depth chart, but he’s been working, working, working. Maybe a guy gets banged up and he plays a lot in a game. He’s always one of the first ones here in the building.
“... It’s been cool just to see him develop over the years here. You talk about a guy that exemplifies Boise State — blue-collar, tough, always has a smile on his face.”
With defensive tackle Scott Matlock now in the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers, Callahan is fighting to step into a starting role at the position. It’s a huge hole to fill, but Callahan has been taking notes while waiting in the wings for years, and Matlock happens to be one of his best friends.
“As this offseason’s been going along, I’ve been really looking to (Matlock) for guidance,” Callahan said. “Calling him and seeing what he’d do in certain situations and how he thought I should go about changing my process to get my body and my mind in the right place for this upcoming season. Just bouncing back and forth with him, it’s been great.”
Callahan, a 6-foot-4, 282-pound native of Yorba Linda, California, has appeared in 28 games for the Broncos since his freshman year, including two starts. He totaled six tackles and a quarterback hurry last season and has 18 total tackles in his career.
Coaches believe he is poised for more this season.
“(Defensive line coach Erik) Chinander has done a great job with him since he’s been here,” Danielson said. “He’s playing his best football since he’s been on campus. I’m so excited about where he’s going. He’s just that type of kid. It’s not about him. It’s about the team, it’s about the defense, and it shows up in how he plays.”
In preparation for the 2023 season, Callahan said he put an emphasis on taking care of his body before and after workouts, and zeroed in on gaining flexibility.
“I’ve always been a strong guy. That’s never really been a problem for me,” Callahan said. “It’s just always been a little bit of movement limitations, but I’ve completely erased those. I’m moving great. I feel great, and I’m pretty excited for the season.”
With a little more than two weeks left until the Broncos’ season opener Sept. 2 at No. 10 Washington (1:30 p.m., ABC), Callahan said this year’s defensive line has made strides.
“There’s been tremendous improvement from every single guy in the room,” he said. “Probably the most improvement I’ve seen in a fall camp from the defensive line so far.”
Callahan attributed part of that progress to the caliber of offense they are facing every day in practice.
“It’s really just something coming in every day knowing that you’re going to face potentially the best offense that you could see all season,” Callahan said. “You go in there with the mentality that you’ve gotta be ready or else they’re gonna run on you or they’re gonna throw on you.”
Boise State’s projected defensive line
Edge: Sixth-year senior Demitri Washington leads this group and is the favorite to start after starting nine games last season, which saw him finish with 35 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Rotation roles are likely to go to redshirt junior Gabe Hunter, who appeared in 10 games last season with four starts, and junior Ahmed Hassanein. Also watch for Boston College transfer Kivon Wright (redshirt freshman).
DT: This could be the year that redshirt senior Callahan breaks through. He saw action in 11 games last season, with one start. Also in the running for playing time are Iowa State transfer Howard Brown and sophomore Braxton Fely.
NT: Redshirt junior Herbert Gums started all 13 games last season and is likely to maintain that role in 2023. Northern Arizona transfer Sheldon Newton will challenge for playing time, as well as Fely, who can move around.
DE: At 6-foot-7 and 242 pounds, Utah transfer Tyler Wegis looks the part, but sixth-year senior Cortez Hogans also could start.
