Boise State football returns a more experienced offense

Dare to say, the Broncos could be equally or even more potent this year.

Said co-offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Zak Hill: “We’ve got a lot of weapons. It’s fun to have all those guys; it makes it tough on a defensive coordinator. ... It’s a good problem to have.”

“We were still a little inconsistent last year,” Rypien said. “It comes with a focus every day, and you can tell the guys want to be perfect, make it hard in practice, so when we get out there, it’s just muscle memory.”

Though senior receivers Thomas Sperbeck (88 catches and 1,412 yards) and Chaz Anderson (42-578) return, the Broncos have no other player with more than 10 career catches. Junior Cedrick Wilson emerged as a starter to join them but has yet to play at this level after transferring from junior college.

At running back, junior Jeremy McNichols (1,886 all-purpose yards, 26 TDs) will shoulder the load. Behind him, senior Devan Demas did not have a carry in the final six games last season after fumbling issues, and no other back has rushed for more than 200 yards in a season. At tight end, after Roh’s 68 career receptions, only junior Alec Dhaenens (four) has any.

The line returns four players who made at least eight starts last season in senior guards Travis Averill and Steven Baggett, senior tackle Mario Yakoo and senior tackle Archie Lewis. Junior Mason Hampton is expected to slide into the center vacancy left by Marcus Henry. Hampton took most of the first-team snaps last fall camp with Henry hurt, and has done so in spring and fall camp.

“They don’t get rattled a whole lot. ... When things come up that aren’t positive, a negative situation, they seem to respond. I’ve seen that through camp,” Harsin said.