One constant, tracing back to Boise State's entrance to the Big West in 1996, is the talent at running back. Populated by 1,000-yard rushers and NFL careers, this list is a long one. The latest to join the elite club is the nation's current leading rusher, Dylan Riley.
Riley, a junior, crossed the 1,000-yard mark for the second straight season in last week's 46-45 victory over Texas State. While Riley finished with 86 yards and a score in the game, it marked only the second time in 2026 Riley failed to reach 100 yards in game.
In addition to his 1,049 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground, Riley has 15 receptions for 130 yards and score.
This performance is building on a 2025 season that was quite exceptional. Riley was part of a rotation early in the season but busted out with 123 yards (on six carries) against Eastern Washington. Riley followed that with 171 yards and four scores against the Air Force Falcons.
On the season, Riley finished with 1,125 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
Riley is in great company, where 1,000 yards rushing and NFL nods are the norm. Continued success will no doubt keep him listed among these legends for a long time to come.
Boise State Broncos running backs: A great lineage
The godfather of the Boise State running back family predates the Division 1 and FBS era. The exclusive club journeys back to the late 1970s and the sensational Cedric Minter. Minter was the first 1,000-yard rusher for the Boise State Broncos, finishing with 1,526 yards, currently sixth on the single season list, in 1978.
Minter added 1,012 and 1,060 yards in the following seasons. Over the course of the next 15 years, Rodney Webster ('81, '83), John Francis ('84, '85), Chris Jackson ('87), and K.C. Adams ('94) all joined the club.
Upon entering the Big West, it was Eron Hurley manning the backfield. Hurley reached the milestone in 1998, finishing with 1,142 yards.
While the running attack took a backseat in 1999, the season gave us early glimpses of the future with Brock Forsey. A modest start as a freshman in '99 grew into 914 yards as a sophomore in 2000 and 1,207 yards in 2001. Forsey saved his best for last, reaching 1,611 yards, which is fifth all-time for a single season.
David Mikell followed Forsey in 2003 with 1,142 yards. While Lee Marks never reached the magic number, he put up quality numbers in 2004 and 2005. In 2006, Ian Johnson burst onto the scene with 1,713 yards, a mark that ranks third on the single-season rushing list. The Broncos ran wild in Johnson's next two seasons. In 2007, Johnson reached 1,041 yards, with Jeremy Avery and DJ Harper combining for 1,048. The following season, the trio combined for 1,645 yards on the ground.
That would be the last season that failed to produce a single 1,000-yard rusher until 2020.
Boise State Broncos 1,000-yard rushers streak (and beyond)
Avery collected 1,151 yards in 2009, followed by two years of Doug Martin dominance. Martin ran for 1,260 in 2010 and 1,299 in 2011, with Harper taking the mantle in 2012 with 1,137 yards.
Pickle juice became the favorite drink around the Treasure Valley when the phenomenal Jay Ayayi joined the 1,000-yard rushers club. Ajayi finished with 1,425 yards (seventh-best) in 2013 and an astounding 1,823 yards in 2014, which ranks second.
The "McWeapon" himself, Jeremy McNichols, tallied 1,337 yards (10th-best) in 2015 and followed that up with an astounding 1,709 (fourth-best) in 2016. Alexander Mattison took the reins next, with 1,086 and 1,415 yards (eighth-best) in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
George Holani arrived next, eking out 1,014 yards. After the COVID-19 shortened season of 2020 saw the Broncos play only seven games, an injury-plagued backfield in 2021 followed. Holani started the streak anew in 2022 with 1,157 yards on the ground.
We all know who came next when Ashton Jeanty ran for a modest 1,347 yards in 2023. The star nearly doubled that with a Heisman worthy effort in 2024 when he ran for 2,601 yards, setting the single-season record and leading to being drafted in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft.
These players all shined for the Boise State Broncos, and many took their talents to the NFL. Currently, Jeanty (Las Vegas Raiders), Holani (Seattle Seahawks), and McNichols (Washington Commanders) are on NFL rosters. Mattison, after a severe neck injury sidelined him for the 2025 season, is currently aiming for a comeback.
One day, the same aspirations hold true for Riley. For now, the focus is finishing the '25 season strong, leading the Broncos to the playoffs, staying healthy, and seeing just how far up the program rushing list he can climb.
Stats retrieved from Boise State Broncos football via Bronco Sports
Current career rushing yards list for Boise State (Top-10):
- Ashton Jeanty 4,769
- Cedric Minter 4,475
- Ian Johnson 4,183
- Brock Forsey 4,045
- Jay Ajayi 3,796
- George Holani 3,596
- Chris Thomas 3,437
- Doug Martin 3,431
- Jeremy McNichols 3,205
- Rodney Webster 3,034
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