Entrenched as starter, Boise State QB Madsen in ‘competition with myself’ to improve

BOSIE (Idaho Statesman) — For the first time in his Boise State career, Maddux Madsen is going through spring practice knowing that he’s the starting quarterback come August.

Madsen started all 14 games last season as the Broncos went 12-1 before falling to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal. And with no apparent competition for the starting job, the redshirt junior can focus on his own game rather than competing with the guys around him.

In 2023, Madsen was the backup to Taylen Green before he started getting reps in what became a two-QB system. A little after midseason, Madsen was named the starter, and in his first game in that role, he suffered a season-ending knee injury. Green transferred to Arkansas after the season, and in spring 2024, incoming transfer Malachi Nelson — a former five-star recruit who started his career at USC — was the one to shine while Madsen recovered from surgery.

He then beat out Nelson in fall camp for the starting job, and Nelson transferred to UTEP after the season.

“It’s the competition with myself,” Madsen told reporters Thursday. “I saw what I did last year, and how could I be just as much better? I have high standards, high goals for myself.”

Madsen threw for 3,018 yards on a 247-for-396 clip in 2024, completing 62.4% of his throws while tossing 23 touchdown passes and just six interceptions. Three of those picks came in the final quarter of the 31-14 loss to Penn State as the Broncos tried to save their season.

While Madsen’s ball security was praised last year, there were multiple would-be interceptions that were dropped, and he received criticism when it came to finding receivers downfield. That kind of passing has been an emphasis through the first month of spring practice, and new quarterbacks coach Zak Hill said it’s probably been the most significant improvement he’s seen out of Madsen so far.

“We have seen some really good deep balls,” Hill said. “We’ve worked on some deep ball throws, and having that built into every practice, it’s starting to show up. We’ve hit some post throws, some go balls, and I think he’s got a lot more confidence with some of that stuff.”

Madsen will play his first game as a starter in August without running back — and security blanket — Ashton Jeanty next to him. Jeanty, the nation’s top rusher last season, likely will be a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft later this month, and the Heisman Trophy runner-up took up a lot of bandwidth for defenses, taking pressure off Madsen.

That luxury will be gone in 2025. In recent weeks, both head coach Spencer Danielson and new offensive coordinator Nate Potter have said that Boise State will continue to focus on running the ball and playing a “physical brand” of football. Madsen said he’s sure that whoever is in the backfield would “excel,” with redshirt freshman Sire Gaines, junior Jambres Dubar and sixth-year transfer Malik Sherrod all in the running.

But Madsen, like Dubar earlier this week and the coaches last week, acknowledged that no one is replacing Jeanty. That means Madsen will have to improve and adjust in the play-action game, and when carrying the ball himself.

“That’s something going forward I’ve got to be really elite at,” Madsen said. “Just the simplest part of ball placement, accuracy … tempo, we talk about all the time.”

Madsen’s position as the starter certainly appears safe, but he isn’t the only quarterback in the room. Boise State has six QBs on the roster this spring, but only redshirt sophomore Max Cutforth, a Skyview High School grad, has snaps at the college level — two completions in the 56-14 win over Portland State last September.

“Kaleb (Annett), our freshman, is really pushing the room,” Hill said. “And Max is a phenomenal guy, a leader, and also he operates really well. “So getting those guys a lot more reps through spring ball, having summer and then another fall camp, we feel really good about that room being able to handle whatever and whoever’s in.”

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