Monday marks the first day of fall camp for Boise State, the first full‑scale practice period since the program re‑entered the Pac‑12 after a decade in the Mountain West. The Broncos will soon travel to face Oregon in the season opener on September 5, a matchup that will test the new‑look roster.
Quarterback battle
Head coach Andy Avalos has named Maddux Madsen the full‑time starter for a third straight year, but the competition for the No. 2 quarterback spot is wide open. Cash Herrera, who transferred from Indiana in January after decommitting to the Hoosiers, is the leading candidate to overtake former starter Max Cutforth, who threw for 1,059 yards and five interceptions in 2023.
Special teams surge
Special teams coordinator Stacy Collins has praised Dylan Riley’s development as a return specialist. Riley burst onto the scene in 2025 with 1,274 yards of total offense and 12 touchdowns, and he logged eight kick returns for 237 yards as a true freshman, highlighted by a 96‑yard touchdown against Utah State.
The linebacker corps will see fresh faces. Syncere Brackett‑Lambey, a true freshman who appeared in 11 games last season, is projected to challenge for a starting role, while Boen Phelps is expected to man one spot and Jake Ripp, a veteran who has started six games over three seasons, is slated to replace Marco Notarainni at the other.
Season outlook
With the Pac‑12 schedule now set, the Broncos are focused on translating camp performances into game‑day contributions. The opening showdown against Oregon will serve as the first real test of the new quarterback tandem and the revamped special‑teams unit.