Bronco Nation News is taking a look at 25 questions about the Boise State football team heading into the 2024 season. We’re tackling two questions related to the offensive line with No. 20 and No. 19: Who wins the right tackle spot, and is depth along the offensive line a concern?
The Boise State offensive line must replace a pair of starters in Garrett Curran and Cade Beresford, who departed after combining for 67 career starts at Boise State.
Beresford started 27 games at right tackle the past two seasons, leaving an enormous hole along the line. Who wins the battle to replace him is a key question the Broncos must answer prior to the season opener against Georgia Southern.
The overall depth is also at least a small concern after the Broncos saw mainstay Garrett Curran depart. Curran started 40 games during his Boise State career at a variety of spots, including 13 games last season. He made at least seven starts in each of the past four seasons and played in 55 career games for the Broncos.
Boise State returns four players with at least seven career starts, making four of the five offensive line spots fairly easy to predict:
-Left tackle, Kage Casey (RS-Soph, 14 starts last season, 19 career games in two seasons)
-Left guard, Ben Dooley (Sixth-year senior, 10 starts last season, 24 career starts)
-Center, Mason Randolph (RS-Junior, 11 starts last season, 21 career starts last two seasons)
-Right guard, Roger Carreon (seven starts last season, eight career in two seasons)
The question mark comes at right tackle. Redshirt sophomore and former three-star recruit Hall Schmidt appears to the favorite after an impressive spring. He took the most starting reps at right tackle, in part due to injuries to others.
Schmidt, a redshirt sophomore from Gig Harbor, Washington, played in just two games last season. But at 6-foot-7, 305 pounds he has the size needed for right tackle – and apparently has the skillset and ability to make the jump from seldom-used to starter.
Redshirt freshman Kyle Cox also is in the mix and saw time at both left tackle and right tackle during the spring. JUCO transfer Daylon Metoyer could compete when he arrives this summer as well.
As for depth at the other spots? Nathan Cardona has played in five career games the past two seasons but worked with the starters at center with Randolph out during the spring. He also could play guard.
Jason Steele, who saw action in three games last season, is another option at center. His brother, San Jose State transfer Jake Steele, joins the roster this season after two years in San Jose and could compete for reps right away.
Western Illinois transfer Tyler Keinath saw some first team reps at right guard during the spring.
Boise State’s starting five returns four capable starters and the first unit should be in good shape heading into 2024. But the departures of veteran starters Curran and Beresford leave the Broncos a bit thin after the first five, meaning a key injury or two – which seems to always happen up front – could lead to problems at some point.
B.J. Rains and KTVB Sports Director Jay Tust discussed the right tackle and offensive line questions on Tuesday’s Bronco Nation News LIVE on YouTube. Watch the show here:
