‘I’m a softy’: Boise State coach expects tears during emotional Senior Day on Friday
Don’t ask Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson too much about his senior class. It might bring him to tears.
Boise State’s season is far from over, but Friday morning’s game against Oregon State at Albertsons Stadium is the last home game of the regular season. That means it’s also Senior Day, when fans, coaches and teammates will have the opportunity to honor 21 of the Broncos in a pregame ceremony.
“If I talk about the seniors too much, I’m going to start crying up here,” Danielson said Monday. “This whole team in general, but especially this group of seniors, they’ve been through so much.”
How much?
For starters, their underclassmen years were spent dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, canceled games and stadiums without fans in 2020.
Some of the older guys, such as sixth-year left guard Ben Dooley, are now under their third head coach: Bryan Harsin, Andy Avalos and now Danielson, who has been alongside them for the entire journey. He is now in his eighth year with Boise State, having joined as a graduate assistant in 2017.
“Every single one of them has a different story, and they’ve all had such a huge impact on me,” Danielson said. “And, most importantly, a legacy that they’re leaving here for years to come.”
Offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter joked that a camera needs to stay on Danielson during the ceremony to see whether he tears up.
But for all of the lighthearted comments about Danielson crying, there’s truth behind his words. He said he plans to write individual letters for every player leaving the program, acknowledging that late nights this week were expected to be the norm.
“I’m a softy,” Danielson said. “If I were to tell them one-on-one, I’d probably be crying the entire time. So it’s a way just for me to show my gratitude to them.”
Koetter doesn’t expect to shed any tears Friday, but he understands where Danielson is coming from. Koetter was the head coach at Boise State from 1998 to 2000, and remembers crying over players he’d coached for several years.
“When I was the guy on the sideline, and they were introducing them, I teared up on every single guy,” Koetter said. “Because you know personal things about their journey.”
Koetter said he doesn’t know the current batch of players as well. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t understand the challenges the 21 outgoing players have faced, or the emotions everyone will have on Friday.
“These guys have done a lot to get Boise State football back to where it needs to be and where it should be, so I’m proud of all those guys for that,” Koetter said.
Defensive coordinator Erik Chinander said he doesn’t think he’ll be shedding tears, but he looks forward to spending time with all the guys once the season ends.
“I usually like to get together with the guys after they’re done playing,” Chinander said. “Wherever that’s at — my house, or we go somewhere — but one time when they cannot be player and coach, we can be peers finally.”
One junior will have a lot of eyes on him on The Blue along with the seniors, but he won’t be honored during Friday’s ceremony. That’s running back Ashton Jeanty, who undoubtedly will be departing after this season.
Jeanty leads the nation in rushing yards (2,062) and rushing touchdowns (27), and is expected to be drafted in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft in April. Until then he’s a Bronco, but Danielson won’t be writing him a letter — well, not now.
“His is coming. But no, not yet,” Danielson said. “This will be just truly for the seniors going through Senior Day, but he’ll get his.”
Which players are being honored?
The following 21 players will be honored ahead of Boise State’s game with Oregon State, which kicks off at 10 a.m.:
Michael Callahan
Cameron Camper
Nathan Cardona
Tyler Crowe
Jonah Dalmas
Ben Dooley
Colt Fulton
Herbert Gums
Ahmed Hassanein
Gabe Hunter
Cooper Jones
Kaonohi Kaniho
Milo Lopez
A’Marion McCoy
Sheldon Newton
Seyi Oladipo
Markel Reed
Rodney Robinson
Taren Schive
Alexander Teubner
Tavion Woodard
Boise State vs. Oregon State
When: 10 a.m. Mountain time Friday
Where: Albertsons Stadium (36,363, turf)
TV: Fox
Radio: KBOI 670 AM and KBOI 93.1 FM/Sirius XM Ch. 162 or 201 (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)
Records: Boise State 10-1, 7-0; Oregon State 5-6
Series: Oregon State leads the series 6-4
Vegas line: Boise State by 20.5 points
Weather: High of 37, low of 18, humidity 70%, sunny, 5% chance of rain or snow
