As Boise State enters a new era with Head Coach Spencer Danielsen, there are high hopes for what the team will accomplish this upcoming season.
With former starting quarterback Taylen Green now at The University of Arkansas, fans are left with one big question: Who will acquire the starting quarterback position? Will it be returning redshirt junior Maddux Madsen? Or USC transfer redshirt sophomore Malachi Nelson?
A large part of the excitement surrounding this season revolves around Boise’s first ever five star recruit, Malachi Nelsen. Bronco Nation is eager to see what new skills and strategy the former USC quarterback can bring to the team.
Nelson’s talent was apparent at Los Alamitos High School in California, where he posted 7,984
passing yards and 110 total touchdowns (105 passing). Nelson was the #1 overall recruit in
the 2023 class, per ESPN recruiting rankings, as well as California’s Gatorade Player of the Year in both 2021 and 2022. He was highly recruited by USC, Notre Dame, University of Michigan, University of Georgia, etc., but with minimal playing time at USC, the question remains, how will he compete in Division I football?
Over summer, Nelson was quickly able to get more comfortable playing with the team and in turn his confidence was able to grow tremendously.
“Everyone had this expectation for Malachi that he was going to come in here and set it on fire, and that’s tough for any quarterback, especially when they don’t know the terminology,” Offensive Coordinator Dirk Koetter explained. “He’s swimming in new terminology but you can see his ability as a thrower. It shines through.”
However, Nelsen will still have to compete at a very high level while learning a whole new system to earn his starting spot against Maddux Madsen who is returning for a third year with the Broncos. As Madsen is coming back fully recovered from his previous knee injury, he has an advantage as far as familiarity with the team. But will that be enough to earn him that starter spot?
Last season, Madsen played in nine games before getting injured and finished with 1,191 passing yards, 11 total touchdowns and three interceptions.
“Maddux Madsen has a lot of equity with this team. I mean, you talk about a guy that is humble and hungry, low ego, high output — that’s Maddux Madsen. You talk about a guy that continually competed throughout last season to start games, to win the starting spot last season, but then got injured,” says Head Coach Spencer Danielsen. “But competition means through the roof for him and Malachi. Malachi is new in January with Maddux not being able to go through spring ball with the knee injury. Now that he’s healthy, we’re going to be able to go head-to-head competition.”
It is clear both Madsen and Nelson will be competing at a high level, and either way Bronco Nation should be prepared for a potent offensive season.
When asked what will determine the starting spot at the end of the day, “Whoever gives us the best opportunity to win games will be the starter game one,” Danielsen said. “Let the competition begin.”
