Boise State football’s new No. 1 promises to be a ‘playmaker’ at linebacker
There’ll be a new No. 1 jersey running around the field for Boise State in 2026.
Unusual in itself? No. Unusual in who is wearing it? A bit more so.
Boise State fans haven’t seen much of the No. 1 jersey in recent years, with it having been held by former running back Jambres “Breezy” Dubar from 2023 to 2025. The former Bronco managed just 90 carries in his three years as he was plagued by injuries and served as a backup to Heisman Trophy finalist Ashton Jeanty.
Either the quarterback, a specialist or speedsters such as wide receivers, corners and running backs typically wear No. 1. But with Dubar’s exit from the team, an unexpected player has claimed it ahead of the 2026 season:
Redshirt junior linebacker Boen Phelps.
“I remember the first time he brought it up, I was like, ‘Absolutely not. A linebacker wearing No. 1?’” Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson said about the request.
“I had to do a little convincing,” Phelps said with a smile Tuesday.
They eventually agreed that Phelps would be allowed to wear the jersey if he became a “playmaker” and promised to show improvement in specific areas of his game during spring practice.
Phelps has emerged as the leading force among the linebacker group and appears to be the only lock as a 2026 starter. The 6-foot-1, 215-pounder started nine games last season and tied for third on the team in tackles (66) and fourth in quarterback hits (4).
He also was part of a linebacker group that sometimes struggled to tackle last season, leading to more big plays than the defense would like to see happen.
Phelps said Wednesday that he knows how to fix the tackling problem — lowering his pad level and tackling with the shoulders and chest — and that he and the coaching staff are also looking at improving his knowledge and reading of the game, which will in turn help.
“For him (it’s) diagnosing the box, just getting those reads a little clearer between that play-action game and the run game,” Boise State defensive coordinator Erik Chinander said. “And then just his physicality within the box, he’s a physical tackler.”
Phelps said the bulk of the work to improve his recognition will happen in the film room and walking through plays in practice. Then it’s simply putting the knowledge to use while remaining physical to get between gaps and at the quarterback.
He also added that being able to fully focus on playing linebacker for the past year has helped him understand the position more. Phelps arrived at Boise State as a walk-on and was treated as a defensive back at first. But spending more time at linebacker has helped him better understand the footwork, hand positioning and pass rush.
“We do a great job of doing walkthroughs here, and that helps me the most, it’s actually doing it and seeing it,” Phelps said. “That stuff gets kind of repetitive, but it’s huge. Once you see it, you’ll never forget it.”
