‘What’s next?’: Boise State’s latest commit announced the news with a familiar phrase

Argyle High School defensive tackle Michael Madrie is a self-professed “mama’s boy” who never wanted to leave Texas, but that was before he visited Boise State.

Madrie was on campus Friday. He announced that he was verbally committed to the Broncos’ 2023 recruiting class on Tuesday afternoon.

“The only way to get me out of Texas is to make me feel completely comfortable and at home,” Madrie told the Idaho Statesman on Tuesday. “It felt like a family at Boise State right from the start, and I was comfortable as soon as I got there.“

The 6-foot-4, 260-pound senior said he knew he was going to commit after a one-on-one conversation with Boise State head coach Andy Avalos.

Madrie surprised the Broncos’ coaches and his family with the news that night after dinner, announcing his decision with a phrase coined by Boise State Athletic Director Jeramiah Dickey.

“I stood up and was like, ‘So, what’s next?’” Madrie said. “They all looked a little confused, so I told them I’m committed.”

“What’s next” has become a popular hashtag Dickey and his staff use on most Boise State Twitter posts, but particularly on those that are announcing facilities upgrades.

It wasn’t the Broncos’ weight room or the blue turf in Albertsons Stadium that convinced Madrie to join the program, though. He said Boise State gave him a familiar feeling.

“It feels a lot like home,” Madrie said.

Argyle, Texas, is a small town about 30 miles north of Fort Worth. It’s more than 1,500 miles from Boise. Despite the distance, high school players in Texas are well aware of the Broncos, Argyle football coach Todd Rodgers said.

“Boise State has a strong presence here in Texas,” Rodgers said on Tuesday. “We see them on national TV, and the coaches have done a good job of making sure they get down here into the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.”

Boise State has pulled recruits out of Texas for years. There are 12 players from Texas on the roster this year, and Madrie is the third recruit from the Longhorn State in the Broncos’ 2023 class. Running back Jambres Dubar and cornerback Franklyn Johnson are also from Texas.

“Through the whole recruiting process, I thought Michael really set himself up for success,” Rodgers said. “Boise State is getting a good one.”

Madrie is the first defensive lineman in Boise State’s 2023 recruiting class. He’s a three-star recruit, according to Rivals.com, and he also has scholarship offers from Washington State, Colorado, Colorado State, Kansas, Memphis, Navy, San Diego State, Wyoming, Tulane, UTSA, Louisiana, North Texas, Lamar and Arkansas State. He hasn’t been rated by 247Sports.

Madrie joined the varsity team at Argyle as a sophomore, and Rodgers said he was never shy about diving into the trenches and doing battle with offensive linemen — even during the Eagles’ run to a 2020 state championship.

“He’s a very physical player and he’s never had a problem with contact,” Rodgers said. “It’s not something he had to grow into. He just naturally had the toughness to play between the tackles. He just needed the body to go with it.”

Rodgers said Madrie spent most of last summer in the weight room, and it paid off. He was named the 7-4A District Defensive Player of the Year after posting 50 tackles, five tackles for loss, two forces fumbles and three sacks last fall.

“Michael is hungry for the football,” Rodgers said. “He has a relentless pursuit of the quarterback and whoever has the ball, and I think that’s going to serve him well in college.”

Madrie said Boise State is recruiting him as a defensive tackle or defensive end. Rodgers said he has the skills to flourish at either position.

“I think he doesn’t mind playing between the tackles because he can use his quickness and athleticism to be successful there,” Rodgers said. “But he can also bump out on the edge, get after the quarterback and play in space.”

Boise State’s 2023 recruiting class

QB CJ Tiller, 6-3, 200, Rancho Cucamonga (California) High

LB Wyatt Milkovic, 6-1, 233, Basha High (Chandler, Arizona)

OL Jason Steele, 6-4, 280, Murrieta Valley (California) High

RB Jambres Dubar, 6-0, 200, Anna (Texas) High

WR Jackson Grier, 6-0, 175, St. Thomas Aquinas High (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

CB Franklyn Johnson Jr., 5-11, 175, Little Elm (Texas) High

OT Kyle Cox, 6-6, 270, Eatonville (Washington) High

OT Carson Rasmussen, 6-5, 300, Owyhee High (Meridian)

TE Cayden Dawson, 6-5, 232, University City High (San Diego)

TE Oliver Fisher, 6-5, 225, Sherwood (Oregon) High

DL Michael Madrie, 6-4, 260, Argyle (Texas) High