Boise State linebacker Marco Notarainni was forced into action early last season because of a starter’s injury, and the redshirt junior said that experience is already paying dividends this year.
“I’m really just enjoying being out there with the brotherhood again and taking on more of a leadership role,” said Notarainni, who was already sporting a couple of bruises on his face in the second week of fall camp. “I’m enjoying the bumps and bruises as long as I can step on the field.”
Notarainni was expected to back up former all-conference linebacker DJ Schramm in 2023, but he found himself thrust into the starting lineup after Schramm suffered an injury in the season opener at Washington. Notarainni said it was an honor to step in for a player he considered one of his mentors.
“I love the way DJ played, and he taught me a lot,” Notarainni said. “He never took a play off, he was super physical and he was a great leader.”
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Notarainni quickly made his mentor proud. He started five games and was the Broncos’ leading tackler midway through the season, before a fractured foot ended his season in late October. He still finished the year No. 6 on the team with 53 tackles, boosted by two double-figure games: 13 tackles against North Dakota and 10 at Colorado State.
He’s healthy this fall, and even though Boise State hasn’t released its first depth chart, Notarainni is the favorite to start at weakside linebacker when the Broncos open the season Saturday at Georgia Southern (2 p.m. Mountain time Saturday, ESPNU).
Notarainni, who had three sacks last season, will once again fill the role Schramm manned so well, and Boise State defensive coordinator Erik Chinander said he’s expecting another productive season out of the California native.
“The thing you learned about Marco last year was whether he’s the starter or not, he’s going to be ready to play,” Chinander said. “He knows what he’s doing. He’s always lined up right, and he can get others lined up. He’s going to be in the right spot, and he’s going to make tackles.”
Notarainni always had a nose for the ball, even when he was a 145-pound freshman at Torrey Pines High School in California, where his position coach was former NFL star Duane Bickett. Notarainni said some of that comes from being intentional with everything he does to prepare for a game. He said it also comes from playing with a chip on his shoulder.
“I’ve always been undersized for the most part, and that forced me to play and tackle a certain way,” said Notarainni, who now weighs 238. “I always loved being physical and playing the run. That carried over from high school to college.”
Chinander said being a great tackler comes down to instincts and experience.
“You usually don’t get a guy that doesn’t have good instincts for the ball and it suddenly pops for him,” Chinander said. “They probably have a nose for the ball, and once they learn what’s happening on the defense and where they can be to give them a little advantage, it really starts to happen.”
Boise State at Georgia Southern
- When: 2 p.m. MT Saturday
- Where: Paulson Stadium (25,000, Turf), Statesboro, Georgia
- TV: ESPNU (Mike Corey, Rene Ingoglia)
- Radio: KBOI 670 AM/KTIK 93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)
- Records: Boise State was 8-6 last year; Georgia Southern was 6-7.
- Series: This is the first meeting between the two schools.
- Vegas line: Boise State by 13
- Weather: 93 degrees, humidity 62%, mostly sunny, 30% chance of rain
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