Hall Schmidt finds his spot at right tackle with experienced O-line

BOISE — While breaking into a starting spot in an offensive line that otherwise has a full year of experience with one another, Hall Schmidt says he’s learned one thing: There’s no such thing as too much communication.

The redshirt sophomore is looking to fill the open right tackle slot for Boise State this season, alongside four returning starters. With that experience, the Broncos are hoping that unit — which was 14th in the nation last season with just 1.14 sacks per game last season — can once again be a strength for the offense.

Schmidt said the key for him during fall camp has been identifying what he sees in the defense and making sure the rest of the line sees it, too.

“Overcommunication at the line of scrimmage is very, very valuable for a player,” Schmidt said. “Just pressures, combo call, coverages and things like that.”

Schmidt looks to be on track to start the Broncos season opener on Aug. 31 at Georgia Southern. While the Broncos won’t release the team’s two-deep depth chart until next week, coach Spencer Danielson has said that Schmidt is “ahead” in the battle to get that spot for the first game, praising the work he’s put in at fall camp.

“What impresses Hall so much from his teammates is how much he wants it,” Danielson said. “Not just with what he talks about or he tweets about, but he’s in there constantly. He lives in the O-line room, he lives in the training room. Hall Schmidt is a guy where you’re like ‘Hall, you need to go home, we need you to go get sleep,’ because he wants to help this team so much. He’s had a really good fall camp and that’s because of how hard he’s worked.”

Schmidt came to Boise State out of Peninsula High in Gig Harbor, Washington, where he played at both the tackle and the guard position. He started at left guard his junior season, and his speed and power, coupled with Peninsula’s affinity for pulling guards, started getting him on the radar of college programs.

According to 247Sports, he had offers from Washington State, along with a number of Big Sky Schools. But he said he fell in love with the family atmosphere at Boise State. It also didn’t hurt that the Broncos wanted to bring him in as a tackle, which was his more preferred position.

“I love being on an island and I love one-on-one pass pro,” said Schmidt, who is listed as 6 feet, 7 inches, 308 pounds on the Boise State roster. “It’s super fun getting the technique, getting my hands right and reading the defender.”

He redshirted with the Broncos in 2022, then got some playing time in two games late last season. But from the sidelines he studied Boise State tackles John Ojukwu and Cade Beresford to see what they did well.

The one thing he said he noticed was how well they communicated, particularly with the guard next to him, who in Schmidt’s case will be right guard Roger Carreon.

“What really helped me was the older guys, like Cade and OJ, helping me come into my own with this group,” said Schmidt. “Communication with Roger is key also and overall just blending with the offensive line has helped me a lot.”

With Beresford graduating after last season, it left a spot open on the line. Guys like Kyle Cox, Daylon Metoyer and Jake Steele were all named as possible players who could be plugged in that spot, but almost from the time the 2023 season ended, through spring practice and into fall camp, Schmidt made himself stand out.

“It really started back in January,” said offensive line coach Tim Keane. “He’s done a great job of having this focus, this urgency about everything he’s done from training to film prep to taking care of his body. He’s done everything possible to put himself in the best position and you see the results.”