‘Competition in every position’ as Boise State football fall camp approaches

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — The official start of practice for Boise State’s 2025 college football season is just days away, with players reporting on Sunday for fall camp in the heat of summer.

Second-year coach Spencer Danielson met with the media on Thursday to address questions about the state of the team with the season-opening game just five weeks away. From early injury concerns to who’s going to be battling for starting positions, here’s what Danielson had to say.

Who’s injured and who’s back healthy for Broncos?

Starting with the good news, two of Boise State’s potentially most exciting players are entering camp fully healthy: redshirt freshman running back Sire Gaines and redshirt junior wide receiver Chris Marshall.

Gaines picked up a leg injury in the third game of 2024 that kept him out for the rest of the season. The injury persisted into the new year, to the point where Gaines missed the annual spring game in April.

“I don’t think he took a day off all summertime,” Danielson said. “Like the Fourth of July, we give our players about a week off. He stayed in Boise and snuck into the weight room to work out.”

Marshall arrived at Boise State with high hopes, having started his college career at Texas A&M as a four-star prospect before transferring to Kilgore Junior College in 2023. But soft-tissue injuries caused him to miss the bulk of the 2024 season and spring ball.

“Chris has stood out this summer,” Danielson said. “Now he’s got to do it, practice one, practice two, practice three, all the way till game one.”

The Broncos will be without a few players heading into fall camp, though. Redshirt junior Hall Schmidt and redshirt senior Tyler Keinath, both offensive linemen, are recovering from offseason surgeries, while redshirt junior defensive lineman David Latu is recovering from a soft-tissue injury picked up last week.

The offensive line is likely Boise State’s strongest returning unit, with four starters back from 2024. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be battles for the starting spots.

“If I’m a starter and I look behind me and the number two has got no shot to beat me out, human nature is probably to take your foot off the gas a little bit,” Danielson said. “It’s our job as coaches to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

Two of the spots up for grabs are at left guard and right tackle.

Keinath started eight games at right guard in 2024 because of injuries to other guys, and he’ll be in the battle for the left guard position, but entering camp injured means that redshirt sophomore Jason Steele will be in the mix for that spot, Danielson said.

As for right tackle, Danielson said he was impressed with Schmidt in 2024, but redshirt junior Daylon Metoyer is also making a case for himself at that spot. Redshirt sophomore Kyle Cox, who saw action in 13 games last season and started one, also will be in the mix.

“(Metoyer) had a really good summer … and so there is going to be competition there,” Danielson said. “There’s gonna be competition in every position.”

Boise State will be looking to replace two long-time fan favorites following the graduation of kicker Jonah Dalmas and punter James Ferguson-Reynolds’ transfer to Oregon.

The two most likely candidates are redshirt junior kicker Colton Boomer and junior punter Oscar Doyle. Boomer is a transfer from UCF while Doyle arrives from Weber State. Danielson hasn’t had a chance to see them up close yet — which will happen during fall camp — but he said he wants the special teams to “take a big step” in 2025.

“I really do believe in those two,” Danielson said about Boomer and Doyle. “(Kicker/punter) Jarrett Reeser has had a great summer. Mason Hutton, I think, will be one of the best long snappers in the country.”

Boise State ranked 123rd out of 133 teams in the nation in 2024 for punt return defense (14.7 yards allowed average), and Dalmas endured his worst season, making just 13 of 18 field goal attempts (72.2%).

The Broncos’ coaching staff has said since the spring that they plan to use more nickel packages in 2025, in large part to “get our best guys on the field.”

That’s still the plan heading into fall camp, and Notre Dame redshirt junior transfer Jaden Mickey will be in the mix, despite not playing much slot defense with the Fighting Irish.

“He has a lot of position versatility, and we want to find a way to make sure he competes and has the best opportunity to play on the field,” Danielson said. “I think his skill set fits him really well in nickel, because he’s physical.”

Mickey will be competing with redshirt senior Davon Banks, who had reps at nickel last season.

Danielson said the staff is looking to load up a secondary that gave up 241.4 passing yards per game in 2024, which ranked 106th in the nation. Fifth-year senior A’Marion McCoy and senior Jeramiah Earby are likely starters at corner, while junior Ty Benefield will feel safe at free safety. Danielson said redshirt sophomore Derek Ganter, a transfer from Eastern Washington, will be practicing at boundary safety during camp but could also play nickel.