‘Self-inflicted negatives’: Penalties add up for Broncos in 28-7 loss
On a day when Boise State football coach Spencer Danielson asked his team for three hours of relentless effort, it was relentless mental lapses and mistakes that determined the Broncos’ fate.
They committed a season-high 13 penalties for 112 yards, consistently putting themselves in tough situations in a 28-7 loss to No. 21 Notre Dame in front of 77,622 fans at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.
Boise State was whistled for 10 offensive penalties for a total of 78 yards Saturday, and also committed three on defense for 34 yards.
“Obviously, it’s something we’re missing as coaches,” Danielson said. “It’s something we’ve got to continue to look at.”
The miscues began on the Broncos’ first possession of what would become a flag-filled game — Notre Dame had 11 penalties for 112 yards, the same yardage total as BSU.
Center Zach Holmes was flagged for an illegal snap on Boise State’s first play. Four plays later, Holmes picked up a holding penalty, turning what would have been a second-and-4 on the 21 into a first-and-17 from the 8. The possession ended in a punt.
Back-to-back penalties on Boise State’s second drive put the Broncos in another punting situation, as a holding call followed by a false start resulted in a second-and-25.
The defense was whistled for a holding penalty near the end of the second quarter that gave the Fighting Irish a first down on the Boise State 4-yard line. Running back Jeremiyah Love cruised in from the 4-yard line two plays later to give Notre Dame a 14-7 lead at halftime.
“It’s really been the same story every week. Even when we win, we have penalties,” said Boise State receiver Latrell Caples, who was flagged for a personal foul in the third quarter. “We try to fix them every week, but we have to take a way bigger step. We’ve got to try harder to fix those things.
“The penalties come up every week, and it did again today, and cost us a lot of hidden yardage.”
A flag for pass interference in the third quarter set up another Notre Dame touchdown, landing the Fighting Irish on the BSU 6-yard line. They cashed in on the ensuing play on Malachi Fields’ 6-yard reception from quarterback CJ Carr for a 21-7 lead. It was Fields who drew the flag the play before.
Two penalties on Boise State’s first drive of the fourth quarter — offensive pass interference and a false start — turned a first-and-10 on the Boise State 46 into a first-and-30 from the 26. That drive ended in a turnover on downs.
And the offensive miscues kept coming as the Broncos tried to climb out from a 28-7 hole with 7:54 left. Holmes was whistled for another holding penalty, and later that same drive came an illegal substitution. Maddux Madsen then got sacked, creating a third-and-23 from the Notre Dame 47.
That drive fell apart two plays later when Madsen tossed his third of four interceptions in the game.
“I think it’s just being disciplined, being disciplined to do your job and do your one-11th and just being able to not hurt yourself,” Boise State edge Jayden Virgin-Morgan said. “Coach D talks a lot about ‘sin’ — self-inflicted negatives — and being able to take those away from the game helps you out a lot.”
