The Boise State football team will debut the new-look offense with new offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter and new starting quarterback Taylen Green when the Broncos host San Diego State tonight at 6 p.m. on FOX Sports 1.
What will the offense look like? We’ll all find out together later this evening.
Koetter was hired last Saturday to replace Tim Plough, who was fired following the 27-10 loss to UTEP. Quarterback Hank Bachmeier then put his name into the transfer portal on Monday.
Here’s our story on Koetter and Green from earlier this week.
The Broncos hope the two significant changes help improve an offense that ranks 107th nationally in scoring offense at 22.0 points per game and 121st in total offense at 283.0 yards per game. Both would rank in the top five for worst in program history should they not improve.
San Diego State (2-2) has wins over Idaho State and Toledo and losses to Arizona and Utah. The Aztecs have won two of their three games on The Blue, including the last trip here in 2018. San Diego State also scored the final 24 points on a 27-16 come-from-behind win last year in Carson, Calif.
One positive for Boise State? Both losses were in nonconference games, meaning the Broncos’ goal of winning the Mountain West remains a strong possibility should they turn things around. Boise State is 1-0 in MW play with a road win at New Mexico ahead of three key games against San Diego State, Fresno State and Air Force.
Our game preview can be read here.
This blog will be updated before, during and after tonight’s game, so make sure to check back often. Come hang out at The James Kitchen and Bar for our pregame show at 4:30 p.m. and our postgame show roughly 30 minutes after the game ends.
For now, here’s a few things to get you ready for kick off…
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Taylen Green, QB: A good majority of fans were calling for Green to take over at quarterback, and with Bachmeier’s transfer they get their wish. The redshirt freshman Green is oozing with talent and is much more mobile and able to extend plays with his legs than Bachmeier was. Green rushed for 102 yards while passing for 155 while getting significant playing time in the season opener against Oregon State. He’s still young, largely inexperienced and is not as polished of a passer as Bachmeier, but his raw talent makes him an intriguing addition to the offense. Is Green ready to take over the offense and lead them to a Mountain West title? We’ll see starting tonight.
DJ Schramm, LB: Nobody expected much from Schramm when the season started, but he’s been maybe Boise State’s best defensive player. The previously seldom-used linebacker had 36 total tackles the previous three seasons but has 33 through four games. He beat out Isaiah Bagnah and Brandon Hawkins for the starting spot at weak side linebacker during fall camp as the replacement for Riley Whimpey, and hasn’t looked back since. He had a career-high 16 tackles last week against UTEP, and had 11 in the season opener against Oregon State. With the status of middle linebacker Ezekiel Noa unknown, Schramm will have to play well again tonight – especially against a San Diego State team that loves to run the football.
KEY STATS
- Boise State is 3-4 against San Diego State all-time and has lost each of the past two meetings. The Broncos haven’t beaten the Aztecs since 2017.
- 21 different Broncos have made their Boise State debuts this season.
- Jonah Dalmas has made 39 career field goals, the fifth-most in Boise State history.
- Boise State is looking to become bowl eligible for the 25th consecutive season. The Broncos need four wins in the final eight games to achieve the feat.
- The Broncos have scored in 315 straight games, the eighth-longest all-time scoring streak in the country.
- Both teams have two of the worst passing offenses in the country. Boise State it 114th nationally with 163.0 passing yards per game, while San Diego State is dead last (130th nationally) at just 73.8 passing yards per game.
- Both teams struggle on offense on third downs. San Diego State is 129th at just 21.2 percent on third down, while the Broncos are 89th at 35.7 percent.
- The FS1 announcers, Alex Faust and Petros Papadakis, will not be in Boise. They will be calling the game from a studio in Los Angeles, like they did in the UT Martin game two weeks ago.
PREDICTION
I couldn’t have been any more wrong when I predicted the Boise State offense would break out for a big game last week. And plenty of fans reminded me for how bad my pick was. I have no clue what to expect with Dirk Koetter taking over as OC and Taylen Green making his first career start at quarterback. Things can’t get any worse, right? A big home crowd should help give the Broncos some energy, and the new changes should be enough to help the Broncos to a badly needed home win. Give me Boise State 24, San Diego State 13.
