Boise State’s Avalos under fire but unfazed by ‘outside noise’ as team seeks turnaround

Boise State football coach Andy Avalos is in familiar territory.

For the third time in his three years leading the Broncos, they are trying to salvage their season after a subpar start.

Last season, the Broncos fell to 2-2 after a shocking loss to UTEP. In the days that followed, offensive coordinator Tim Plough lost his job and four-year starting quarterback Hank Bachmeier left so he could transfer. A four-game winning streak then paved the way to an 8-0 mark in the Mountain West and a 10-4 season.

In 2021, the Broncos went into their bye week with a 3-4 record after losses to UCF, Oklahoma State, Nevada and Air Force. They won four in a row before losing at No. 21 San Diego State, finishing 7-5.

Boise State went into its bye this week with a 3-4 record again after a loss to Colorado State that was even more shocking than the setback at UTEP.

Colorado State was 0-12 all-time against the Broncos, and the Rams trailed by 20 points with about six minutes left in last weekend’s game. They defied the odds with three scoring drives, including the recovery of an onside kick and a Hail Mary touchdown pass in the final seconds. The extra point secured a 31-30 win over what has been the Mountain West’s flagship program for the past two decades.

Bronco Nation was immediately up in arms.

Fans were on social media and elsewhere calling for Avalos to be fired. Some said it was time to move on from defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson, who got a raise and a contract extension this year. Others put the blame on offensive coordinator Bush Hamdan, a former Boise State quarterback who was hired last December.

Avalos isn’t looking for his next coaching opportunity and he’s not in a hurry to fire any of his assistants, but he said Wednesday that the responsibility for the Broncos’ struggles begins with the coaching staff.

“There’s plenty of things at the end of the last game that we control and could have executed better as coaches,” Avalos told reporters. “Whether it’s offense, defense or special teams, that’s on me, but I’ll have (my players’) backs every day of the week.”

Were there questionable calls made by the coaches last weekend? You bet.

Blitzing safety Rodney Robinson and leaving linebacker Andrew Simpson to cover Colorado State wide receiver Tory Horton on a play during the game’s final drive fell into the questionable category. Horton — one of the most explosive receivers in the Mountain West — hauled in a 44-yard pass, putting the ball on the Broncos’ 33-yard line and setting up the Hail Mary.

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Sticking with a two-quarterback system instead of naming a starter certainly falls on the coaches, as does the inconsistency they’ve shown when it comes to splitting the reps.

Avalos said before the Colorado State game that 6-foot-6 redshirt sophomore Taylen Green was going to be the focal point of the offense, but that certainly wasn’t the case in the second half. He was on the sideline for much of the third and fourth quarters while redshirt freshman Maddux Madsen ran the offense.

Avalos said Wednesday that Madsen was on the field because he was operating certain aspects of the offense in a more efficient manner than Green. He stopped short of committing to the use of both quarterbacks against Wyoming (3:30 p.m., FS2) on Oct. 28, but he also made it sound as if both would play for the foreseeable future.

“We have two good quarterbacks and we’re very fortunate for that, but the reality is that we’re going to use the quarterback who has been more efficient in certain situations,” Avalos said. “It’s using the right guys in situations that are going to allow the team to be successful.”

Avalos admitted that he didn’t expect Madsen to play as much as he has the past two weeks. He also said the flow of the game will dictate how much each QB sees the field.

“It’s no different on defense when you switch certain personnel because of what the offense is doing,” Avalos said. “A guy that is part of a certain package might play more because of what the offense is giving us.”

The reality is it doesn’t matter whether the Broncos are losing because of inconsistent quarterback play or a defense that is giving up 428.3 yards a game, which ranks No. 114 in the country.

Losing is strange territory in Boise, where fans watched former coaches Chris Petersen and Bryan Harsin elevate the Broncos into the national college football discussion on an annual basis.

Avalos’ job isn’t in jeopardy, even though his record is just 20-13 since he took over at his alma mater in 2021. The former linebacker is beloved by his players and Boise State administrators, and while they may not admit it now, the fans will be back on his side if the Broncos can string together a couple of wins.

He is almost certainly putting pressure on himself to match the championships and even undefeated seasons that his predecessors produced, but he said he’s ignoring what he called “outside noise.”

“I know the team we recruited and the team we’re building,” Avalos said. “I’m not happy with our record. I don’t think anybody is. It’s not where we want to be, especially in our nonconference schedule, but we have an opportunity in our conference, where we’re 2-1, to work toward our goal down the stretch.”

The goal is to win a Mountain West championship. The Broncos are going to have to beat Wyoming to stay in the hunt to make the title game. That’s especially true with defending conference champion Fresno State, a surging team from Utah State and undefeated Air Force still on the schedule — and two of those games on the road.

The Broncos have faced plenty of obstacles this season. Veteran players like running back George Holani, linebacker DJ Schramm and offensive lineman Ben Dooley have all missed a lot of time with injuries.

Boise State also has one of the youngest rosters in the nation and has played 20 underclassman in every game. That ranks No. 4 in the country behind Iowa State and Penn State, both of which have played 27, and Florida, which has played 24.

Youth is no excuse at this point in the season, though. Avalos said players who have taken the field in seven games can’t exactly call themselves inexperienced.

The Broncos found a way to turn things around last season, even with a redshirt freshman at quarterback. They made the Mountain West championship game and ended the year with a win in the Frisco Bowl. Will history repeat itself with November and December success this year?

Avalos said it’s possible, but it has to start with a complete performance against the Cowboys in 10 days.

“What I’ve learned this year is our guys have grown and they are getting better,” he said. “But we have fallen short and that’s not good enough. Now it’s for us, as coaches, to find where that gap is and help these young men ... grow and be their best down the stretch.”

Boise State notes

▪ Avalos said Wednesday that the Broncos should have some injured players back for the Wyoming game. He said Schramm, who hasn’t played since a win at San Diego State on Sept. 22, returned to practice this week. He also said Holani, who hasn’t played since the season opener at Washington, is expected back soon.

Avalos also said the team’s top 10 offensive linemen are back on the field practicing together, which suggests center Garrett Curran could be back in the lineup. He missed the Colorado State game with an unspecified injury.

▪ Avalos said safety Alexander Teubner’s ejection in the Colorado State game won’t affect his availability against Wyoming. Teubner was ejected after he was called for two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

▪ Running back Ashton Jeanty picked up his third midseason All-American honor on Wednesday. The Associated Press named the sophomore to its first team. He was also named first team by ESPN and CBS Sports on Tuesday.

Jeanty leads the Broncos with 868 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground. He leads the nation with 15 total touchdowns, 180.6 all-purpose yards a game and 604 yards after contact.