Boise State makes surprising quarterback decision

The Boise State Broncos have named their starting quarterback for the 2024 season, and the choice came as a surprise to college football fans on Sunday.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel reports that Boise State has named redshirt sophomore Maddux Madsen as the starting quarterback for the Broncos’ season opener at George Southern.

Malachi Nelson, the No. 1 overall recruit in the class of 2023 per ESPN , was viewed as the favorite for the Boise State starting quarterback job after transferring from USC over the offseason.

Madsen — listed at 5’10”, 203 pounds — threw for 1,191 yards (61.4 completion percentage), nine touchdowns, and three interceptions over nine games played with the Broncos in 2024. He replaced Taylen Green as starting quarterback last October before suffering a season-ending MCL and PCL tear in November. Green, the 2022 Mountain West Freshman of the Year, returned to being the Boise State starter before transferring to Arkansas in December.

Entering 2023, Nelson hoped to follow Caleb Williams as Lincoln Riley’s next star quarterback at USC. Miller Moss appears to have secured the Trojans’ job going forward after finishing last season with a six-touchdown, 372-yard performance for USC in a Holiday Bowl victory over Louisville. Nelson threw just one pass at USC (a three-yard completion).

Here’s a glimpse of how the college football world reacted to the decision made by Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson:

While there will continue to be questions about the Boise State passing game, that won’t be the case about the team’s running game. Starting running back Ashton Jeanty ran for 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2023. Dane Brugler of The Athletic even ranks Jeanty as the top running back prospect for the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Broncos will kick their season off at Georgia Southern on Aug. 31. That’s followed by a very difficult challenge at No. 3 Oregon on Sept. 7.

[ Pete Thamel on X ]

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