Boise State looks to work through turmoil against San Diego State Friday

BOISE, Idaho — The last week has been a lot for the Boise State Broncos.

Following a 27-10 loss to UTEP in which the Broncos were favored by 16, the team parted ways with offensive coordinator Tim Plough and promoted Dirk Koetter to that role. Koetter most recently coached the Broncos from 1998-2000.

On Monday, Hank Bachmeier started the process to enter the transfer portal and the next day Andy Avalos announced that Taylen Green would be the Starter against San Diego State. BSU lost to last season to SDSU last season 27-16 after giving up a 13-point lead.

The last time BSU faced off against SDSU to close out the regular season in 2021, the Broncos looked very different — but so did the Aztecs. When they hosted BSU last season, the Aztecs were a top 25 team in the country because of a 10-1 record. This week both teams sit at 2-2 and are unranked.

This game has been on the team's radar since they gave up that nearly two-touchdown lead last November.

“It’s a game that we have planned on and gotten ready for for a long time," Spencer Danielson, the Broncos' defensive coordinator, said Tuesday. "Especially them beating us down there in the last game of the season. hats off to what they do across the board. We’ve watched film of it from January until now about ways that we can be better defensively and make sure that we work our tails off for that not to happen again.”

The defense will be crucial as the key to the game will be limiting the rushing attack. SDSU ranks last in passing yards per game with 73.8 yards. That's one spot behind Air Force, who gets more than 80% of their offense off their famous triple-option rushing attack.

But when rushing the ball, SDSU almost doubles what Boise State does on the ground, averaging 220 yards each game. Their quarterback, Braxton Burmeister, brings speed with his rushing attack.

The Broncos have a quarterback with some legs now too. In Green's first action this year, he ripped off a 74-yard touchdown against Oregon State.

Green is young and doesn't bring the same experience to the position Bachmeier did. But the team is confident in him.

“We have all the confidence in the world in Taylen (Green)," said Will Farrar. "Who’s ever in there we’re going to have all the confidence in the world because we’ve all been through the same training and preparation together, we’ve been through the off-season together. We’ve been through fall camp together. And I believe in all those guys in that room, the quarterback room, who ever is back there. So, I’m just excited to see (Green) play, fellow Texan, so I’m excited to see him let it loose.”

The team is happy to be back at Albertsons stadium after only having one home game in their first four contests.

Danielson said the team is excited to be among Bronco Nation again.

“We’re not just playing for our football team," said Danielson. "We are playing for Bronco nation, we’re playing for our fans, we’re playing for our families. So, getting back on the Blue especially going through what’s happened the past 72 hours, I know our guys are excited to get back on the Blue, be around our fans and we need a huge turnout.”