Boise State’s Defense Dominates Again; More Importantly, Are We Moving Closer To A QB Controversy?

Posted on September 15, 2017

By MIKE PRATER
@KTIK.COM

The Boise State football team held New Mexico’s option running attack to 198 yards, tight end Jake Roh scored three touchdowns and the Broncos survived their Mountain West opener without starting quarterback Brett Rypien, beating the Lobos 28-14 at Albertsons Stadium on Thursday night. Backup quarterback Montell Cozart, starting for Rypien who was injured the previous week at Washington State, completed 15-of-19 passes for 137 yards, and rushed for 71 yards and a 28-yard touchdown to open the scoring. He tossed two short TD passes to Roh, who also had a 6-yard TD run. The Broncos (2-1 overall, 1-0 Mountain West), who played their first three games in a 13-day span, ran for only 127 yards but also produced their eighth turnover of the season. Boise State finished last season with nine turnovers. The attendance was 28,385.

  • NEXT: Virginia at Boise State, Friday, Sept. 22, 6 p.m., Albertsons Stadium, ESPN2, KBOI 670 AM and KTIK 93.1 FM The Ticket.

PRATER’S POST-GAME POINTS

  • Boise State’s defense was phenomenal against the Lobos’ option, allowing 198 yards on 51 carries, and should be phenomenal all season despite only three seniors on the depth chart. Junior linebacker Leighton Vander Esch continues to be a menace and now has 36 tackles, three sacks, two forced fumbles and an interception. The hard-hitting Broncos have knocked out the starting quarterback in two straight games. Athletic – and physical – is a dangerous combination, and this defense is young and feisty enough to do it all season.
  • There have been 423 plays this Boise State season. Take away two (Cozart’s interception and the botched punt/fumble, both against Washington State) and the Broncos would be undefeated and nationally ranked.
  • The Broncos’ run game is “poor” and needs to get better, according to coach Bryan Harsin. Cozart is the leading rusher after three games (179 yards), No. 1 running back Alexander Mattison had only six carries for 10 yards against the Lobos (coaching curiosity), and the Broncos’ are 0-5 on fourth-down conversions this season. More Mattison, less Ryan Wolpin (13 total touches against New Mexico).
  • Cozart’s stats are solid after three games: 33-of-48, 68.8 percent, five touchdowns, one interceptions and a team-high 179 rushing yards and two TDs. The Kansas transfer has been on the roster for less than five months, and he’s 28th in FBS in passing efficiency (159.9). Rypien should start next week against Virginia, but if there are any signs of hiccups behind a struggling/improving offensive line, a full-on QB controversy could hit the Boise State football team. Regardless, Cozart has proven that he needs to be on the field as much as possible.
  • Chase Hatada’s ejection for a first-half targeting call was correct. He lowered his head, lead with his helmet, and hit New Mexico QB Lamar Jordan in the chin (out for the game). It was textbook targeting. It was an aggressive hit, hardly dirty, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Mountain West takes a look at the video to determine if a suspension is necessary.
  • The crowd of 28,385 was poor, but there were 2,000 walk-up sales in the two days before the game, and a majority of the fans stayed until the end. Progress.


Mike Prater, editor of The Opinionator, co-hosts Idaho Sports Talk with Caves & Prater weekdays from 3-6 p.m. on KTIK 93.1 FM The Ticket and can be heard on Bronco GameNights after BSU football games on KBOI 670 AM and KTIK 93.1 FM. He can be reached at [email protected], and found @CavesandPrater(Facebook) and @MikeFPrater (Twitter).

Bronco Focus