Maddux Madsen wasn’t a five-star recruit coming out of high school. He wasn’t one of the top quarterback recruits in the country. He didn’t transfer from USC. At 5-foot-10, 201 pounds he doesn’t look like the prototypical quarterback.
He doesn’t care.
As each day passes Madsen seemingly is only getting closer to winning Boise State’s starting quarterback job ahead of the season opener against Georgia Southern on August 31.
Madsen went into fall camp atop the depth chart in the battle with transfer Malachi Nelson – and nothing has happened or been said to think things have changed yet.
While all the offseason hype has been around Nelson, the incumbent Madsen has quietly gone about his business. He’s proving to his coaches and teammates he deserves the starting spot – and he hopes to soon prove it to fans.
“It’s definitely a learning experience for myself,” Madsen said. “Because there’s times where it’s like ‘I’m here.’”
Madsen was twice the Mountain West Freshman of the Week last season while appearing in nine games, eight of which were in relief. He passed for 1,191yards and nine touchdowns and had surpassed Taylen Green as the starting quarterback against New Mexico before suffering a season-ending injury during the game.
“When he played last year he played pretty well,” offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter said. “He did a good job when ge got his chances. I think everybody thought there was going to be a big drop off from Taylen and there certainly wasn’t. I mean Maddux ended up passing him there at one point.”
All the talk and focus on Nelson has only put more of a chip on Madsen’s shoulder to continue to prove – for the second straight year – that he’s deserving of the starting spot.
“I can guarantee you that’s the case,” Koetter said. “I don’t get a sense – I can guarantee it.”
Asked if he was the right man to lead the offense, Madsen said Wednesday, “Yeah, I mean personally I’m not going to say no, right? But that’s in the coaches’ hands.”
Nelson arrived with plenty of attention after transferring from USC. Having to learn a new offense and new terminology caused a slow start to spring practices, but he made massive improvements during the 15 practices and impressed during the Spring Game.
He continued his progression over the summer and entered fall camp hoping to close the cap on Madsen and win the starting spot. The competition remains ongoing, but he appears to still be No. 2 on the depth chart based on the first week of practices.
“I’m not sure I’m at a point to where I felt it click, but I feel like I’m playing good football right now,” Nelson said. “I feel like I’m protecting the ball, finding completions, those type of things. I feel like I’m never content where I’m at and I feel that ‘click’ is still coming.”
As for the competition with Madsen, Nelson said Thursday, “The competition is fun. Competition is competition. Going into fall camp it wasn’t (about) the competition for me. It was how can I make myself better and find a few small things to attack every day and to work on and in my head the rest will take care of itself.
“Everybody wants to start. I think Maddux would be lying if he said he didn’t want to start, but that’s the name of the game and how football works. I’ll give it my all and he’ll give it his all and in the end, whoever does start, that’s the way it’s supposed to be written.”
An update on the quarterback competition figures to come Saturday when head coach Spencer Danielson meets with the media following the first scrimmage of fall camp.
For now, Madsen appears content quietly continuing to prove himself – while Nelson continues to learn the system, get comfortable and make a charge from behind.
“I hope they are both good enough to be starters,” Koetter said. “That’s what we need. We’re going to need them both – and maybe beyond that – before its said and done.”
