So Brett Rypien needs to be more of a leader, build more confidence in himself and his teammates and take control of this team?

Well, I think the other 10 guys need to step up and give him a reason to be more confident. They sure didn’t during the first two offensive possessions, 14 plays total, against Troy.

And they lost their QB for the game I think.

The goal with Ryp is to start him slow, let him get a feel for the game. Make some easy throws. Run the ball and max protect him if he needs to throw on second or third and long. Against Troy, he was given a 7-3 lead, a defense that was stuffing Troy mostly, and his first offensive series of the year STARTED from the Troy 45. Ced Wilson gifted him an amazing 55 yard kickoff return.

Ryp must have felt like he was given a golden ticket to the Willy Wonka tour.

Enter disaster.

For every step forward the offense took, it went backwards in a hurry.

Ryan Wolpin started at RB and proved to Ryp he was worthy with a nice 6-yard gain up the middle like a rocket. Then, Ryp was sacked on his first pass attempt. Next, he found a new target in AJ Richardson for a nice 11-yard gain. Whew. The news got even better when Alexander Mattison entered the game. Now the offense was complete! Mattison was handed the ball on the next two downs and lost one yard. So, here comes the situation you don’t want for your quarterback early in a game:

Third and 11.

BUT, Ryp trusted his teammates and didn’t look for Wilson to get the first down, but went back to AJ. He was going to trust the system and hit a guy who had 12 catches his entire career at Boise State. Ryp stared him down and went right to a wide open Richardson for a 10-yard gain. AJ showed his inexperience by not making sure he busted off his route PAST the first down marker.

Thud.

Coach Bryan Harsin decided to test drive his new O-line on fourth and 1 from the Troy 24. I am sure he wanted to prove that the more-physical O line could push any team around for at least 1 yard. And, a healthy battering ram Mattison was in the game. They had seven Broncos to block seven Trojans.

Mattison got stuffed.

The second offensive series was more of the same. A great three-and-out defensive series produced a first and 10 from the Boise State 30. Ryp scrambled on first down, showed the mobility everybody had been looking for, and threw a check-down pass to Wolpin for a great 17-yard gain. He had to be feeling it!

He got pulled for Kansas transfer QB Montell Cozart.

This was the plan I am sure. It seemed like a safe spot. Get Cozart’s feet wet. Cozart ran off tackle, after a poor bubble screen fake, for 2 meaningless yards.  Then Ryp came back to overthrow his old friend Wilson. Next, AJ forgot to get on the field and Boise State had to call timeout. Ryp blew it off and took a nice hit to the stomach in the pocket while delivering a strike to a wide-open Wilson for a 26-yard gain to the Troy 26. Ryp went to the hurry-up offense but LG Garrett Larson false started.

Damn.

After a poor Wolpin run, Ryp faced second and 13 and the wheels fell off again. One of the receivers screwed up the pass play and Ryp was left looking lost and all alone in the backfield and was sacked for a 6-yard loss.

Now what? Third and 19? Ryp went to the shotgun, got a bad low snap, scooped it up, and was sacked from behind and fumbled. Troy recovered.

UGH.

During the first 14 offensive plays of the 2017 season, the offense had a turnover deep in Troy territory, allowed three sacks, had a penalty, a failed fourth and 1 conversion, and countless mistakes in assignments and blocking.

I don’t think Ryp ever recovered. This is where he has to work on his game. Forget about the past and move on. And he can’t start fast without 10 other guys. The entire offense can take the blame on that.