Who’s got the ‘juice’? These 3 Broncos could replace Hassanein’s sack numbers in 2025
The defensive line room at Boise State is a little less boisterous than in recent years.
The Broncos began spring football practices earlier this month, and with graduating seniors such as Ahmed Hassanein and Herbert Gums no longer in the room, defensive coordinator Erik Chinander half-joked Monday that it’s been a bit quieter than he’s accustomed to.
But Chinander is not expecting the Broncos’ front four to remain quiet on the gridiron.
Boise State recorded the most sacks (55) in the country last year en route to a first appearance in the College Football Playoff. Many of those sacks came from Hassanein (9.5) and redshirt junior edge Jayden Virgin-Morgan (10).
The duo created a two-headed monster, causing opposition offensive coordinators headaches. They couldn’t double-team one Bronco pass rusher without leaving the other in a mismatch.
But with Hassanein out of the picture, there’ll be more pressure on Virgin-Morgan in 2025.
“I think he’s ready to take that next step,” Chinander said about Virgin-Morgan. “Now it’s just going to be about finding who’s on the other side because he will get more attention.”
It’s a similar situation to what the Broncos faced heading into last season. In 2023, Hassanein’s junior season, he was by far the Broncos’ main pass rush threat with 12.5 sacks. The next-closest player was linebacker Andrew Simpson with 6.5, and no other player had more than three.
Virgin-Morgan grew into his role as the 2024 season progressed, breaking out in mid-October with a 2.5-sack performance in Boise State’s 28-7 victory at Hawaii. Heading into 2024, Virgin-Morgan hadn’t recorded a single sack.
That’s the mission for Chinander and his staff this spring: As Virgin-Morgan stepped up in 2024 to help Hassanein, who will be next in line for 2025?
“There’s got to be somebody that’s got some juice off the other side that can make some plays,” Chinander said.
Two names Chinander mentioned Monday were redshirt junior Jake Ripp and junior Max Stege. Both players saw action in all 14 games last season — Ripp was deployed as a utility guy across the defensive line, while Stege backed up Hassanein, recording three sacks in 2024.
“Jake Ripp has done an unbelievable job,” Chinander said. “He’s done a great job in the weight room, done everything we’ve asked in spring football; we’re going to put him at that position and let him rip and run and see what he’s got going on.”
Chinander also mentioned redshirt senior defensive end Malakai Williams as a guy with some “juice off the edge,” but the Boise State coaching staff has only seen him practicing in full pads once.
Williams is a transfer from Idaho. He recorded 6.5 sacks and 35 tackles as a team captain for Idaho last year, helping the Vandals to a 10-4 record as they made it to the quarterfinals of the NCAA FCS Playoffs.
