Who will replace Scott Matlock as the unquestioned leader of Boise State’s defense?

Editor’s note: This is the fourth installment of a series exploring the top 10 questions surrounding the Boise State football team this season. Articles will run every Tuesday and Thursday in July and will be accompanied by a video online featuring Idaho Statesman reporter Ron Counts and Boise State super-fan Jacob Bleymaier. The videos will also appear on his Bronco Bleymaier YouTube channel.

There are players in every college football program whose DNA just seems to mirror that of the team.

That’s especially true at Boise State, a program that credits much of its rise to national prominence to foundational principles grounded in a blue-collar work ethic.

Leighton Vander Esch was the star of an 8-man football team in the small town of Riggins before he earned a spot on Boise State’s roster and became a first-round pick in the NFL Draft. He signed a new contract with the Dallas Cowboys in March.

Kellen Moore, the owner of the NCAA record for most wins by a quarterback, came to Boise State as a lightly recruited prospect out of Prosser, Washington. He overcame what he lacked in athleticism with a brilliant football mind and went 50-3 as the Broncos’ starter.

Moore then went on to spend four years as the Cowboys’ offensive coordinator and was hired to run the Los Angeles Chargers’ offense earlier this year.

The most recent example of a player whose blue-collar ethic meshed perfectly with Boise State’s philosophy? Scott Matlock.

The former standout at Homedale High overcame an abundance of tragedy in his personal life before ever suiting up for the Broncos. He went on to start 32 games during his five-year college career, and the Chargers picked him in the sixth round of this year’s draft.

Matlock led the Broncos with seven sacks in 2020, and he finished his career with two touchdown catches after lining up as an extra tight end on goal line packages. He rarely left the field the past three seasons, but his impact on the program was felt way beyond the hash marks.

Matlock was the Broncos’ vocal leader on the field and in the locker room. Players looked to him to lead them through tough times, which is part of why he was universally loved by his teammates.

“Scotty is as unselfish as they come,” Boise State coach Andy Avalos said in March. “He came to work every day with a smile on his face. He’s the kind of player you can build a defense around, and he’s going to be hard to replace.”

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A new leader has to emerge on a defense that is facing a lot of turnover this season.

Boise State has to replace six starters on that side of the ball, including safety JL Skinner, who went to the Denver Broncos in the sixth round of this year’s draft. Several key reserves also have to be replaced, including defensive lineman Jackson Cravens and edge rusher Isaiah Bagnah, both of whom transferred to BYU.

The search for the Broncos’ new unquestioned leader on defense begins with two obvious choices: linebacker DJ Schramm and edge rusher Demitri Washington.

Both players are heading into the sixth season of their college careers.

Schramm was one of the Broncos’ most pleasant surprises last season. The weakside linebacker finally cracked the starting lineup as a fifth-year senior, and he went on to earn second-team All-Mountain West honors with a team-high 110 tackles.

“DJ is one of those players that you hold up as an example not just to young linebackers, but to young players in general,” defensive coordinator Spencer Danielson said. “He does everything the right way, from the field to the classroom and every aspect of his life, and sometimes you can’t ask any more of a leader.”

Much like Matlock, Schramm rarely left the field last year. He showed an impressive nose for the ball. He also played through more nagging injuries than few outside the Broncos’ locker room will truly know. That helped him earn the admiration of his teammates.

“DJ is a true Bronco,” Matlock said in March. “He doesn’t care about records or individual accolades. He cares about his brothers and making sure everyone reaches their full potential.”

Washington is in a similar boat, in terms of how his teammates feel about him. His college career has been marred by injuries, including a season-ending ACL tear in 2020 and a separated shoulder that cost him four games last year.

Washington tied linebacker Ezekiel Noa with a team-high 4.5 sacks last season, but his on-field production hasn’t risen to the level of his predecessors at the edge position, which used to be known as STUD at Boise State. That list includes Curtis Weaver, DeMarcus Lawrence, Jabril Frazier and Shea McClellin.

He’s another veteran whose contributions to the team extend far beyond the field, though.

Washington always seems to have a smile on his face and a positive outlook. He is a regular in the Broncos’ pregame hype circle, and when he speaks, teammates listen.

“Demitri is just a great human being,” edge rusher Gabe Hunter said. “He’s a guy you can look up to and learn a lot from. He’s someone you can tell really cares about you as a person.”

The next candidate to replace Matlock as the vocal leader of the defense isn’t as obvious as the first two, but that might not be true for much longer.

Safety Rodney Robinson is entering his second season as a full-time starter. He took over at boundary safety after Tyreque Jones moved to nickel last year, and he finished the season with 48 tackles and three interceptions — both of which ranked in the top five on the team.

At 5-foot-8 and 185 pounds, Robinson is undersized compared to most Division I safeties, but he plays with a physical nature that is usually reserved for a much bigger man. He’s also a positive influence in the locker room.

“That’s my guy,” Skinner said last fall. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Rodney have a bad day.”

Another veteran, such as cornerback Markel Reed, could step into the role, or it could be an up-and-coming star with an inspiring story of perseverance, such as defensive lineman Herbert Gums, who is a Hurricane Katrina survivor.

A newcomer like edge rusher Tyler Wegis also could quickly take up the mantle as the Broncos’ leader.

Whoever it is, Danielson said someone has to step up for the defense to realize its full potential.

“There’s only so much we can do as coaches,” he said. “We can prepare the guys and get them ready for every situation, but we’re not on the field in the thick of it with them. These guys need a peer to look to as a leader as much as they need a coach.”