Versatile pass rusher to lead Boise State defense against Mountain West foe New Mexico
Multitasking is Boise State redshirt freshman Jayden Virgin’s specialty.
Virgin played several positions at Mt. Carmel High School in California — defensive end, strong safety, running back and wide receiver as a freshman.
As a sophomore, he lined up at free safety and wide receiver.
During his junior and senior years, he played outside linebacker, defensive end, tight end, wide receiver and wildcat quarterback.
Having played so many positions gives him a unique perspective on the game no matter where he’s lined up, Virgin said. He’ll put his experience to use Saturday when the Broncos (4-5, 3-2 Mountain West) host New Mexico (8 p.m., FS1) and try to get back to .500 on the season.
“I have an idea of what everybody is supposed to be doing on both sides of the ball,” he said. “That makes it easier to trust my keys and play fast.”
Virgin has made an impact on both sides of the ball at Boise State this season. On defense, he’s played edge rusher and weakside linebacker, and has posted 16 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery.
The 6-foot-3, 246-pound San Diego native also showed off the hands that served him so well as a high school wide receiver in the Broncos’ 37-30 loss at Fresno State last weekend.
On fourth-and-12 from the Broncos’ 40-yard line, punter James Ferguson-Reynolds faked the defense out with a pass to Virgin, who was lined up as a tight end on the play. He lowered his shoulder and powered his way to a first down.
A few plays later, kicker Jonah Dalmas connected on a 38-yard field goal, which broke former kicker Kyle Brotzman’s career record at Boise State.
“We needed a spark,” Boise State coach Andy Avalos said. “That gave us momentum and more importantly gave us the ball back, and we were able to go score some points.”
Virgin hasn’t had the ball in his hands very often this year, but he said it was exciting to help the offense get going.
“I was just focused on not dropping it,” Virgin said. “I didn’t realize the sticks were so far away when I caught it, but I knew I had to keep the drive alive for my team.”
He said it was one of the most memorable moments of his career. It ranks right up there with pouncing on a fumble earlier this season at San Diego State — a school that was only a short drive from where he grew up.
“I had some people in the stands for that one, so it was special,” he said. “That just showed that I have the ability to play at this level.”
Virgin, a former four-star recruit, spends most of his days perfecting his pass-rushing technique as an edge rusher.
“He’s really just buying in and growing in his role,” Boise State edge coach Jabril Frazier said. “He’s intentional about his work. He comes in and does extra, and it’s starting to pay off for him on the field.”
Virgin’s hard work paid off two weeks ago in the Broncos’ 32-7 win over Wyoming. He posted a career-high five tackles and just missed out on the first sack of his career on two occasions.
“He was one of the best players in the game, and that’s not something you say about a redshirt freshman very often,” Boise State defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson said. “He came in a little light (as a freshman), but his body has completely changed, and now he can not only go win on the edge in the pass-rush game, but we put him in different alignments and we put him in coverage a lot. His football IQ has gone through the roof.”
On Saturday, Virgin and the rest of the defense will face a New Mexico offense that is averaging 27.4 points and relies on its rushing attack, which averages 167.4 yards a game.
The Lobos (3-6, 1-3 MW) are led by running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who has posted 675 yards and 12 touchdowns. Quarterback Dylan Hopkins has thrown for 1,825 yards, 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
“Their offensive line is one of the best we’ve seen all season in terms of pass protection,” Danielson said. “Their quarterback can throw it a mile, and they’ve done a great job revamping the offense. They do it with the run and pass, and they have a really strong play-action game.”
NEW MEXICO AT BOISE STATE
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Where: Albertsons Stadium (36,363)
TV: Fox Sports 1 (Guy Haberman, Charles Arbuckle)
Radio: KBOI 670 AM/93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)
Records: Boise State 4-5, 3-2 MW; New Mexico 3-6, 1-3 MW
Series: Boise State leads the all-time series 12-1, and the Broncos have won six straight games against the Lobos.
Vegas line: Boise State by 25 points
Weather: High of 53 degrees, 4% chance of rain, 6 mph wind
