The football Gods sent forth a notable non-conference schedule for the Broncos to tackle. One that if Boise State handled with care, a NY6 game would be inevitable. With the arrival of offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan, plenty of returning starters on offense, a solid crew to work with on defense, and good will from the close of the 2022 season, the pillars were in place.
Instead, the house of cards wobbled throughout the season and the Broncos landed on an 8-6 season to finish up 2023.
Season in the books
Eight wins, in many instances, is a successful season. Certain standards are set in place with the Boise State program and, balanced with six losses, can be a hard pill to swallow. And while disappointment in the season is understandable, there are certain successes the Boise State Broncos managed.
A four-game winning streak, amid a coaching change, prior to the bowl game brought hope and energy around this team. This includes a Mountain West Conference championship, providing a wonderful topper to what was a times at bleak season.
Four of those losses were by a combined 13 points, with the other two against PAC-12 teams that bookended the season. (And the first loss was to the Washington Huskies, a team preparing for the College Football Playoffs.)
I've touched upon the four close losses in previous posts, so won't rehash here. Sports has that undeniable way of one play, one drive, or one bad decision flipping a result from good to bad. Boise State has been on both sides over the years, and experienced the downside more often than before in this season. Nothing to get down on, especially after so many instances in the past 25 years of Boise State receiving the generous side of the stick.
The good vibes over the last month of the season should not be soured because the tough LA Bowl loss to the UCLA Bruins (8-5). The Broncos had their chances to run away with this game in the first half when settling for field goals instead of touchdowns. Plus, the entire effort was going to be a tall task with freshman CJ Tiller taking his first meaningful snaps of a college football game.
Final thoughts: Offense
Tiller factored into the equation for the bowl game because quarterback Taylen Green, Offensive MVP of the MW title game, launched himself into the portal, landing with the Arkansas Razorbacks.
One of the higher expectations entering this season was Green making a bigger jump in the passing game. I still believe Hamdan was forced to adjust early this season and throw Green to the fire a little more than desired. There was also the eventual two-quarterback system to consider, which could not have been easy for Green or Maddux Madsen. Especially when it seemed Avalos (and maybe Hamdan) preferred Madsen as the season wore on. Which, at the time, Madsen was having more success.
When Madsen went down, Green was once again the starter to close the season. At that point, the move to Spencer Danielson as head coach (interim at the time) and Green ran wild yet again.
The adjustment to include more passing happened right off the bat. A plan of a three-headed monster in the rushing game was grounded in the opening week due to the injury of running back George Holani. I do think this forced Boise State to pass more than desired, even with the star-making season of Ashton Jeanty. Missed time between Holani and Jeanty meant the ground game never really got to see Green-Holani-Jeanty in full effect until the final weeks.
Holani capped a fantastic career with a 17-carry, 138-yard performance in the LA Bowl, scoring two touchdowns. His final carry was a 66-yard touchdown run.
The offense had inopportune turnovers, dropped passes at key moments, and other inconsistencies but they weren't truly the problem. Boise State averaged 32.1 points per game and totaled over 3000 yards on the ground, buoyed by Jeanty. The sophomore finished 1347 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground, adding 43 receptions for 569 yards and five touchdowns through the air. And he's sticking around Boise, having him poised for a *Heisman campaign in 2024.
A dominant offensive line paved the way and was fantastic in pass protection, even as a wide receiving corps was thin by season's end. Ultimately, a downfall in many losses was a struggling defense.
Final thoughts: Defense/Special teams
The offense did their best to make up for the defense and special teams, which failed to make many game-changing plays.
Mainly, it's looking at a secondary that never recovered from Heisman runner-up Michael Penix Jr. and his performance for Washington in game one. Entering the season, this unit had a lot of talent and experience to replace. But, there were a number of players returning who had plenty of game action in recent years, so I thought the drop-off would be from a ledge, not a cliff.
Whether it's the scheme or working together as an entire defense, this area will definitely need improvement in '24. Despite the difficulties in this area, there were certainly a few bright spots, including Seyi Oladipo (74 tackles, second on the team) and A'marion Mccoy, who had three interceptions.
There were games in which the defense seemed to be on the verge of figuring everything out. But those were always fleeting moments, especially when facing standout quarterbacks.
Making the game-changing play, or lack thereof, also hampered the special teams in terms of the return and kickoff aspects. And it's not fair to blame everyone because the Broncos had two of the best specialists in the nation with kicker Jonah Dalmas and punter James Ferguson Reynolds, who constantly flipped the field all season long.
In the end, despite certain disappointments, the 2023 season saw the Broncos win a Mountain West title, always a goal. And a losing season was avoided, something fans and the program haven't had to experience since 1997. Most importantly, it will be the lessons learned on and off the field for these coaches and players, hopefully leading to a bright and sunny 2024.
photo: Jason Haskins
*While I am all for a "Heisman for Jeanty in '24", perhaps pump the breaks a little on the hype. I get that with a Group of Five player, it takes more effort to get in the national spotlight, but let's allow Jeanty to enjoy his '23 campaign, for a few days at least.
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