Boise State seniors, led by RB Holani, ready to ride out on ‘high note’ in LA Bowl

Boise State football coach Spencer Danielson said he’ll never forget the day running back George Holani became a Bronco.

Holani, a star on one of the country’s top high school teams at St. John Bosco in Bellflower, California, never even visited Boise State before committing. He never stepped foot in the city. Instead, he surprised the Broncos’ coaching staff.

“I remember being in the office the day he called to tell us he was committing, and I remember everybody getting hyped,” Danielson said. “We knew what kind of player and what kind of man we were getting. I’d say it couldn’t have worked out any better.”

Five years later, Danielson is still singing Holani’s praises.

“The respect I have for George and our whole team has for George is through the roof,” Danielson said. “He will always have a home here because he has earned that.”

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Holani is one of a handful of Boise State players who will take the field for the final time in their college careers in the LA Bowl on Saturday against UCLA (5:30 p.m., ABC).

He ranks No. 6 all-time in program history with 3,458 career rushing yards, and he’s doing his best to soak up his final weekend as a Bronco.

“I’m just taking it day by day and enjoying these moments with my brothers,” Holani said. “Our practices have been really high-energy and there’s been a high level of competition. We’re just all fired up to end the year on a high note.”

Holani’s ups and downs with Boise State

That respect Danielson referenced is a result of Holani’s unwavering commitment to the program.

Bryan Harsin was the Broncos’ head coach and Lee Marks coached the running backs when Holani joined the program in 2019. Neither is around today. Harsin left in 2020 to take over at Auburn, got fired last year and moved back to the Treasure Valley. Marks is coaching running backs at Washington.

Holani has played for three different head coaches: Harsin, Andy Avalos, who was fired in November, and Danielson. He’s had five offensive coordinators in five years: Zac Hill, Eric Kiesau, Tim Plough, Dirk Koetter and Bush Hamdan.

Holani has also dealt with his fair share of injuries. He missed most of the 2020 season with a knee injury, was in and out of the lineup last season and missed six games after getting injured at Washington in this year’s season opener.

He has seen the highs of winning Mountain West championships in 2019 and 2023, and the lows of a 7-5 season in Avalos’ first year at the helm in 2021, which ended with no bowl game because it was canceled.

That game after the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign also ended with no bowl game.

He has watched teammates come and go, but Holani said he never considered transferring.

“I committed to this team, and I always want to be a man of my word,” said Holani, adding that his legacy at Boise State is built on more than stats. “It’s how I impacted people and the relationships I’ve built. One of my main goals was to leave this place better than I found it, and I believe I’ve definitely done that.”

Boise State’s leading rusher, Ashton Jeanty, tends to agree.

“I love that guy,” Jeanty said. “Ever since I came into this program, he’s taken me under his wing and shown me what it means to be a Bronco. I’m willing to play my heart out for guys like him.”

A freshman season to remember, and now leaving with seniors

Holani burst onto the scene in 2019 with 1,014 rushing yards and was named Mountain West Freshman of the Year. He posted 1,157 yards on the ground last season, and his 610 rushing yards rank No. 2 at Boise State this year, behind Jeanty’s 1,262 yards.

Holani, a former rugby star, has aspirations of playing in the NFL. Has he done enough to play at the next level? That depends.

“I never feel like I’ve done enough,” Holani said. “I’ve always had that chip on my shoulder. I always felt like I was overlooked. I never feel like I’ve made it, and wherever I’m at, I’m just going to continue to keep working.”

Edge rusher Demitri Washington and wide receiver Stefan Cobbs will miss the final game of their careers because of injuries, Danielson confirmed this week.

Safety Alexander Teubner, defensive tackle Michael Callahan and cornerback Markel Reed have all said they plan to return next season.

Several seniors still have a decision to make about their futures: WR Shea Whiting, OL Ben Dooley, RB Tyler Crowe, K Jonah Dalmas, DT Sheldon Newton, OL Ethan Carde and long snapper Koby Tryggestad all have eligibility remaining.

Here’s a look at Boise State players who will suit up for the last time in the LA Bowl.

LB DJ Schramm

Schramm broke into the Broncos’ starting lineup last season and decided to return for a sixth year after he earned second-team All-Mountain West honors with a team-high 107 tackles last year. He missed four games because of injuries this season, but he still ranks No. 8 on the team with 42 tackles.

TE Riley Smith

Smith came to Boise State as a quarterback, but the St. Augustine, Florida, native moved to tight end in 2018. He has appeared in 49 games and started 36 since 2019, and he heads into the LA Bowl with 58 career catches for 573 yards and four touchdowns. He posted career highs in catches (25) and receiving yards (214) last season.

This year, he has 10 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown, and he hauled in a season-long 32-yard catch in the Broncos’ 44-20 win over UNLV in the Mountain West championship game.

OL Garrett Curran

Curran has appeared in 54 games and started 41 during his six-year career. He has also started games at four different positions: right tackle, right and left guard and center. He has played alongside three Boise State offensive linemen who have gone on to the NFL: Ezra Cleveland, John Molchon and John Ojukwu.

OL Cade Beresford

Beresford transferred to Boise State last year after he spent four seasons at Washington State. He started games at tackle and guard for the Cougars. He has started 26 consecutive games at right tackle for the Broncos the past two years. Beresford’s father, Harry, played left tackle at Boise State.

WR Billy Bowens

The sixth-year senior joined the Broncos in 2018, but he has really carved out a role for himself the past two years. Last season, he ranked No. 2 on the team with 32 catches for 462 yards, and he ended the year in a three-way tie for No. 1 on the team with four touchdown catches. This season, he’s No. 3 on the team with 25 catches for 360 yards and has one touchdown catch. Bowens posted a career-high 91 receiving yards in the Mountain West championship game. He heads into the LA Bowl with 74 career catches for 1,001 yards and five touchdowns.

Edge Cortez Hogans

Hogans transferred to Boise State last year after one season at Snow College. He began his career as an inside linebacker at Northern Illinois in 2018. He appeared in seven games for the Broncos last year, finishing with 18 tackles. He has played in eight games this year and has 15 tackles to his credit.

BOISE STATE VS. UCLA

What: Starco Brands Inc. LA Bowl Hosted by Gronk

When: 5:30 p.m. Mountain time Saturday

Where: SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles (70,000)

TV: ABC (Dave Flemming, Brock Osweiler, Kayla Burton)

Radio: KBOI 670 AM/93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)

Records: Boise State 8-5, 6-2 Mountain West; UCLA 7-5, 4-5 Pac-12

Series: The Broncos and Bruins have played just once before, a 38-7 home win for UCLA in 1999.

Vegas line: UCLA by 4.5 points