Boise State’s coaches had ample time to think.
Following the Broncos’ 35-32 loss to Memphis on Saturday, Boise State’s Sun Country charter plane experienced mechanical difficulties. So, as the plane was being worked on, the Broncos’ coaches and players sat on a bus for nearly three hours before they finally departed after 11 p.m. local time.
Head coach Andy Avalos and the Boise State coaching staff had plenty of time to mull over what they wanted to do with their quarterbacks. Do they stick with Taylen Green, the uber-athletic returning starter who has struggled this season? Do they hand the reins to freshman Maddux Madsen, who has played brilliantly when coming in for Green?
After all that time, the coaches decided on something different.
“As we go throughout this week, we will (have) a game plan that will allow for both guys to play,” Avalos said.
What that will look like is still a little bit of a mystery, even to the coaches.
Here’s what we do know:
— Both quarterbacks will take reps with the first-team offense in practice this week. Normally, the starter takes about 80% of those reps. This week, offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan said it will be “closer to that 50-50 number.”
— Green and Madsen likely will not split drives. Hamdan noted that it should be expected that both guys will play on the same drive. “They’ll both have to be ready at all times. We have to utilize them in that way,” Hamdan said. “If you’re in 2nd-and-long situations or 3rd-and-long situations, right now Maddux has the better feel in drop-back pass-type situations.”
— The coaches still don’t know who will officially start on Saturday against San Jose State. “It’s probably predicated on practice this week,” Hamdan said. “I’m just trying to be as honest as possible. This isn’t a quick decision.”
— According to Hamdan, this was not solely his decision or Avalos’ call but was born out of conversations between the entire coaching staff. “Do we think there’s a winning formula with playing one guy?” Hamdan asked. “Absolutely. … (But) each guy has brought something to the table and they both deserve to play. It’s really as simple as that.”
Green, for all his achievements last season, has regressed in 2023. Asked about Green’s confidence, Hamdan said it was “probably just OK.” He’s not wrong. Green has struggled to deliver the ball, even when he has time in the pocket. His running has extended drives, but not changed games. And his decision-making has been criticized by the coaching staff.
Boise State QB Taylen Green throws the ball during the Broncos loss at Memphis. (Courtesy of Boise State Athletics)
Madsen, on the other hand, has far less experience but looks more poised and prepared when he gets in the game. Late in the Memphis game, he came in and led the Broncos on back-to-back touchdown drives. His decision-making is quick. His throws are sharp and lead the receivers. And his moxie seems to ignite the offense.
“We talk about the job Maddux has done, he’s done that while taking very little reps during the week,” Hamdan said. “I applaud him for that. You certainly are looking at your starter and making sure he’s getting, ‘Hey, the play we ran in the game versus two or three different looks.’ Maddux has done what he’s done barely getting some of those plays repped.”
There is a stark difference in the way Hamdan and the coaching staff speak of Madsen versus Green. The praise of Green is all about potential. The hype of Madsen is tangible things he does in a game.
Hamdan and Avalos shrugged off the notion that, with the transfer portal, there’s an incentive to keep everyone happy. But in a college football landscape where the best teams in the country are not playing with two quarterbacks, it’s reasonable to wonder why the Broncos are trying this experiment. Why the Broncos — now 2-3 — don’t hand Madsen the keys and see how he drives.
“You look at what Taylen’s done in conference (play),” Hamdan said. “His athleticism and the plays he’s been able to make — that’s not something we’re just ready to say, ‘Hey, we’re letting that part of the game drop.’
“The reality of the situation is, the strength of our run game and the threat that poses,” Hamdan continued. “The ability for us to use the quarterback run game to balance it out, get guys in the box, take shots down the field — those are all things we feel Taylen has done a good job doing.”
By no means has Green been bad this season, but he has not developed into the player most assumed he’d be coming off his Mountain West Freshman of the Year campaign. He’s completing about 53% of his throws (70-133) for 938 yards and 4 touchdowns while 179 yards and a pair of scores.
But Madsen has been stellar. In backup duty — playing most on Saturday and against UCF when Green was injured — the Utah native is connecting on nearly 69% of his passes (22-32) while also tossing 4 scores. And that’s without many practice reps.
Boise State’s goal with the two-quarterback system is simple: Keep its offense in rhythm by having its two quarterbacks do what they do best. Oh, and keep them both happy.
It is a bold decision. Let’s see if the Broncos can have their cake and eat it, too.
