Boise State finally figures out its two-quarterback system in win over Wyoming | Analysis

There’s a collective eye roll whenever a Boise State football coach defends the Broncos’ two-quarterback system.

I rolled my eyes so hard that I almost passed out when Boise State coach Andy Avalos described playing two quarterbacks as a “competitive advantage” earlier this week.

Playing multiple quarterbacks is almost universally met with disdain. It usually makes offenses predictable and ruins any chance the unit has to get into a rhythm.

I’ve never been a fan of playing more than one quarterback. But I’ve been wrong before and Boise State proved me wrong on Saturday.

Quarterbacks Taylen Green and Maddux Madsen both led scoring drives in the Broncos’ 32-7 win over Wyoming, and the offense absolutely found its rhythm for what might be the first time this season.

It’s the first time Boise State has scored at least 30 points in six consecutive games since 2016. The Broncos racked up more than 200 yards through the air and on the ground Saturday, and they dominated time of possession, 38:31 to 21:29.

“I saw an offense tonight that was able to play in rhythm,” Avalos said after the game. “(Madsen) threw the ball pretty well tonight, and (Green) had a couple explosive plays.”

The quarterbacks were aided by a defense that held Wyoming to 112 yards and just eight first downs, but the reason the Broncos’ signal callers had so much success was that the coaches finally figured out how to use them.

Instead of constantly switching them in the middle of drives and mainly just bringing Madsen in on obvious passing downs, Boise State’s coaches leaned into what each quarterback does well.

Madsen, an efficient pocket passer, did the bulk of the work. He moved the offense up and down the field, completed 12-of-15 passes for 147 yards and hooked up with freshman wide receiver Prince Strachan on a 6-yard touchdown pass.

Green, a 6-foot-6 athlete with lightning speed and unreal instincts, showed off his arm early on a 49-yard touchdown pass to Eric McAlister that could not have been thrown any more perfectly. But he spent most of the game as the Broncos’ change-of-pace option and used his legs to convert a couple of critical third downs late in the game.

The Broncos’ two-quarterback system worked like a charm on an eight-play scoring drive in the third quarter. Madsen completed three passes, including a 36-yard strike to McAlister, to move Boise State into scoring position, and then Green came in and used his legs to score a 9-yard touchdown.

That’s how two-quarterback systems are supposed to work. The more refined passer keeps the chains moving and the dual-threat athlete does his best work in the red zone.

Florida laid the blueprint when it won a national championship in 2006 with Chris Leak and Tim Tebow taking snaps. Leak used his arm to move the team down the field, and Tebow used his size and athleticism to punch the ball into the end zone.

It’s promising to see that Boise State’s coaches are starting to figure that out, especially as the regular season winds down and the Mountain West race heats up.

There is still a question that needs to be answered, though. Who is actually the starter?

Avalos said Monday that Green is the starter, but Madsen took more snaps for the third game in a row. Avalos called Green the focal point of the offense heading into the Colorado State game, but Madsen played more in that game, too.

An offense needs a clear leader. Boise State’s coaches are going to have to decide which quarterback is actually the starter if they have any hope of the Broncos’ newfound rhythm continuing for the rest of the season.

Stat of the night: Boise State limited Wyoming to 27 rushing yards. It’s the fewest rushing yards the Broncos have allowed in a game since they held Colorado State to 3 last season. The Cowboys averaged 164.4 rushing yards a game heading into Saturday’s showdown at Albertsons Stadium.

Player of the game: McAlister hauled in a 49-yard pass and drug a tackler almost 10 yards to score the first touchdown of the night, and he wasn’t done. The redshirt sophomore led the Broncos with seven catches for 160 yards. It’s the third time this season that he has finished a game with more than 100 receiving yards, including a season-high 170 against San Jose State.

Up next: Boise State (4-4, 3-1 Mountain West) hits the road next week to face Mountain West foe Fresno State. The Broncos are 17-8 all-time against the Bulldogs. The rivals met twice last season, with Boise State winning in blowout fashion in the regular season but Fresno State exacting a measure of revenge with a 28-16 win in the conference championship game.