Boise State’s 4-year starters: Bachmeier poised to do something Moore, Rypien didn’t

For many college football teams, fall camp comes to a crescendo with the naming of a starting quarterback, but that probably isn’t going to be the case at Boise State this year.

Senior Hank Bachmeier is the favorite to not only join an exclusive club of four-year starting quarterbacks at Boise State, but also end his career in a class of his own.

Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore (2008-11) and Denver Broncos quarterback Brett Rypien (2015-18) are the only four-year starters in Boise State history. But Bachmeier is on the verge of accomplishing something neither of them did: Win the starting job after arriving on campus as a true freshman and hold it for four years.

Moore was a redshirt in 2007 before taking over as the starter in 2008 and leading the Broncos to 50 wins by the time his college career ended in 2011. Rypien didn’t win the starting job in camp his freshman year; that was former Bronco and N.C. State player Ryan Finley. Rypien took over when Finley was injured in the third game of the 2015 season.

Bachmeier is well aware of the legacies of Boise State’s quarterbacks and what he has a chance to accomplish in the coming months.

“It’s a great honor,” Bachmeier said. “There’s a rich history and tradition of quarterback play here, and I want to contribute to that any way I can.”

Boise State head coach Andy Avalos stopped short of declaring Bachmeier the starter during a press conference Monday. He said he was focused on creating a sense of competition in fall camp, which began Wednesday.

Avalos also knows the value of having a quarterback with Bachmeier’s experience.

“On the field, experience is everything,” Avalos said. “Watching (Hank) not only operate on the field but lead meetings, his teammates get to see how prepared he is, and they know they have a guy coming back who has worked his tail off all offseason.”

Taylen Green, a 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman, and Oregon State transfer Sam Vidlak are the only quarterbacks on the roster who could challenge Bachmeier, but neither is a finished product.

Boise State coaches say Green is one of the fastest players on the team, but he’s still developing as a passer. Vidlak has impressed the coaches with his arm strength and accuracy, but he’s still learning the playbook. They have taken turns running the Broncos’ second-team offense in practice — Green on Wednesday and Vidlak on Thursday.

Freshman Maddux Madsen, who has been on campus for a little more than a month, and redshirt freshman Colt Fulton are the other quarterbacks on the roster.

Bachmeier has to know it’s his job to lose, but he said he still has to earn it.

“I come in every single day as if I’m still a freshman,” Bachmeier said. “Having the experience of coming into my fourth camp is huge, but I’ve had to compete every single year, and that’s the way I’m approaching it.”

Bachmeier is enjoying some newfound consistency this year. It will be the first time in his college career that he has played for the same offensive coordinator two years in a row. But not being embroiled in a position battle in fall camp is new.

He had to beat out Chase Cord to win the starting job his freshman and sophomore years. Last season, he had to win a camp battle against USC transfer Jack Sears.

Bachmeier said he’s excited to play like a savvy veteran.

“I think I’m the biggest I’ve ever been,” said Bachmeier, who weighs 210 pounds after putting on about 10 pounds during the offseason. “Mentally, being in my fourth year and my second year in offense has been huge. I’ve been working on being present in the moment and taking it one practice at a time, one rep at a time and one play at a time.”

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Bachmeier’s first win came on the road against Florida State, but it hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing since. He missed six games his freshman year because of injuries, which left many to question his decision-making ability and patience in the pocket.

The 2020 season was a wash after it was shortened to seven games because of COVID-19. Bachmeier took a lot of punishment that year behind a porous offensive line, which opened him up to questions about whether he has the physical tools to last an entire season.

Last year marked the first time Bachmeier piloted a run-pass option offense in his football career, including high school. Despite suffering a knee injury early in the year, he posted career highs in completions (252), passing yards (3,079) and passing touchdowns (20). He also made some questionable throws in key moments that left him open to criticism.

Boise State offensive coordinator Tim Plough said all those experiences — good and bad — have made Bachmeier a better quarterback.

“I think he understands the great opportunity he’s had to play and start for three years,” Plough said. “But he also understands the downs that come with that, whether it be injuries or having a tough game and having to deal with the scrutiny of the position.”

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Plough said Bachmeier has grown by leaps and bounds since he started learning the playbook in January 2021. Now he wants his quarterback to perfect the scheme’s intricacies.

“As a senior quarterback, he knows the clock is ticking, and he wants to play really well for this team and leave a lasting impact that is positive,” Plough said. “It starts with him making the choice to put in the extra effort that a lot of guys aren’t willing to put in.”

Boise State is 18-7 with Bachmeier as the starter, and he already ranks in the top 10 in program history in career passing yards (6,108, No. 7) and TD passes (35, No. 10). The Broncos haven’t won a Mountain West championship since he was a freshman in 2019, though, and he didn’t even play in that game because he was injured.

There’s also no guarantee this will be the final season of Bachmeier’s college career. He has the option to return next year because the NCAA offered players extra eligibility in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he made it clear that he’s focused on this senior season.

“I want to win a Mountain West championship,” Bachmeier said. “I think that’s the Boise State football team’s goal, and it’s what I’ve tried to do every year that I’ve been here.”