As fall camp begins in Year 2, Avalos says Boise State is ‘far ahead’ of 2021 progress

The Boise State football team opens its second fall camp under coach Andy Avalos on Wednesday, and the decorated alum told reporters Monday that his team is light years ahead of where it was last August.

The Broncos went 7-5 last season, posting their worst record in almost two decades after Avalos left his job as Oregon’s defensive coordinator to return to his alma mater.

“In the summer, it’s not spring ball or fall camp, and it’s not iron sharpens iron from an offense versus defense perspective,” Avalos said. “It’s a team working and training together, and we’re really excited about what we accomplished this summer and where we are at this point.”

Things should be running more smoothly for the Broncos this year. The team returns a long list of starters, including quarterback Hank Bachmeier, looking to lead the offense for a fourth year in a row, and safety JL Skinner, who could hear his name called early in the NFL Draft next April.

The Broncos also are entering year two in offensive coordinator Tim Plough’s scheme and under the guidance of Avalos, but the former linebacker and Boise State assistant said the players aren’t the only ones vastly more prepared for this season.

Avalos said he reached out to a couple of defensive coaches in the offseason to share experiences and discuss how coaches can improve. He wouldn’t name the coaches, but he said one is in a similar position as him — a former defensive coordinator entering his second season as a head coach. Avalos said he left that conversation more confident than ever.

“It’s not just organizing and running a defense, but organizing an organization,” Avalos said. “We’re evaluating things throughout the year, and the goal is when everybody walks into this building, they’re confident and they know what they have to do to compete at a high level day in and day out.”

Avalos laid out several goals for fall camp, beginning with establishing a physical presence at the line of scrimmage.

The Broncos have at least six offensive linemen with starting experience, including left tackle John Ojukwu, who is entering his fifth season as a starter.

Defensively, lineman Scott Matlock is back after leading the team with seven sacks last year, and Avalos said he’s expecting a lot from newcomers Cortez Hogans Jr., a defensive end who transferred from Snow College, and George Tarlas, a transfer from Weber State who has 17 career sacks.

“This is a physical game,” Avalos said. “The better we play in the trenches, the better our team plays.”

Avalos also mentioned the need to create more explosive plays on both sides of the ball, and execution on third down and in the red zone as vital for Boise State before the team opens the season Sept. 3 at Oregon State.

“On offense, we need to protect the quarterback, take shots downfield and mix in creativity,” Avalos said. “Defensively, it’s all about plays that create negative yardage and takeaways.”

Avalos wasn’t shy about admitting that the Broncos still have plenty of work to do before they take the field in Corvallis, Oregon. He also wasn’t shy about how excited he is.

“You work more than half the year just to get to this final stage of preparation, and this is where it all comes together,” Avalos said. “For us to have moved the needle so far ahead of where we were last year in all phases, it has been tremendous.”

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Jones limited in Boise State camp

Safety Tyreque Jones is one of several players who will be limited early in camp because of injuries but are expected to be ready for the season opener, Avalos said.

Jones, a sixth-year safety, was fourth on the team with 53 tackles last year. He was healthy throughout the summer conditioning session but suffered a lower leg injury a couple of weeks ago, Avalos said.

Tight end Riley Smith and cornerback Kaonohi Kaniho will miss time as they recover from offseason shoulder surgeries, and several newcomers will be limited, including wide receivers Zamondre Merriweather and Eric McAlister, offensive linemen Cord Kringlen and Roger Carreon, running back Taylor Marcum and defensive lineman Jack Beresford.

Ojukwu and cornerback Markel Reed have been fully cleared to participate in camp, Avalos said. Both missed spring practice while recovering from injuries.

The only player Avalos listed as out for fall camp was freshman offensive lineman Kage Casey. Avalos didn’t offer specifics about an injury but said Casey would be re-evaluated a couple of weeks into the season.

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Running back, offensive line depth take hits

Running back Taequan Tyler has left the team for personal reasons, Avalos said. Tyler joined the Broncos in 2020 after transferring from Tyler Junior College in Texas. He missed all of his first season because of an Achilles injury and appeared in just three games last season.

Redshirt junior George Holani is expected to carry the load this season, but he has struggled to stay healthy the past two years. He missed almost all of 2020 with a knee injury and was slowed by a hamstring injury last season.

Freshman Ashton Jeanty has a chance to open the season as Holani’s primary backup, and former walk-on Tyler Crowe is the favorite to be the team’s short-yardage back. Marcum and Ethan Mikita both joined the program as walk-ons this summer, and former slot receiver Kaden Dudley has moved to running back.

Avalos said Boise State has 109 players on the roster, which is capped by the NCAA at 110. He said Monday that his staff feels confident a new player will join the running backs’ room soon.

Offensive lineman Jacob Golden is also no longer on the roster, Avalos said. The redshirt freshman was charged with driving under the influence in June.

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Additions to the Boise State roster

Boise State has added players in the past few months, including former Rocky Mountain standout Mason Jacobsen, a 6-4, 245-pound walk-on who is listed as an edge rusher and long snapper.

Jacobsen played on both sides of the ball at Rocky Mountain, lining up at halfback, tight end, linebacker, offensive lineman and defensive lineman. He helped Rocky win a 2020 5A state championship and posted 76 tackles and a rushing touchdown as a senior.

The native of Belgrade, Montana, is one of six players from local high schools who walked on this summer. He’s joined by Mikita (Eagle), Marcum (Timberline), linebacker Seth Knothe (Bishop Kelly), wide receiver Hunter Steacker (Rocky Mountain) and offensive lineman Austin Schultsmeier (Mountain View).

Jacobsen and graduate transfer Alec Grant will compete with redshirt freshman Mason Hutton to replace Daniel Cantrell as the team’s starting long snapper, Avalos said during Mountain West media days.

Grant spent the past four years at Franklin & Marshall College, which is a Division III program in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

“That guy has to whip the ball back there on the snap, and they have to be able to run,” Avalos said. “That’s what everybody is looking for, those guys who can run. That’s why you don’t see as many returns these days.”

The Broncos added another local player this summer in defensive back Justus Del Rio, a Meridian native who played at Capital High School and began his college career at the University of San Diego.

Junior college offensive lineman Rick Moore also is a newcomer. The 6-6, 285-pound sophomore spent last season at the College of San Mateo in California, and he’ll line up at right and left tackle for the Broncos, offensive line coach Tim Keane said.

Boise State also recently welcomed the rest of its 2022 recruiting class to campus, including four-star linebackers Dishawn Misa and Jayden Virgin, quarterback Maddux Madsen and Hawaii native Keenan McCaddy, who will play safety after putting up impressive numbers as a high school wide receiver. Six true freshmen joined the program in January.