Boise State Broncos Preview 2022: Previewing, predicting, and looking ahead to the Boise State season with what you need to know and keys to the season.
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Boise State Broncos Preview
Head Coach: Andy Avalos, 2nd year. 7-5
2021 Preview, Overall: 7-5, Conference: 5-3
Keys To The Season | Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Boise State Top 10 Players | Boise State Schedule
Boise State Broncos Preview 2022
This isn’t a program that’s used to having just a good year.
The bar is set so ridiculously high for Boise State that just a winning season and bowl bid – the Broncos’ bowl last year was cancelled – feels flat.
Forget that 2021 was technically the program’s worst season since 1998, and forget that double-digit win campaigns that finish with a trophy are the norm. Boise State hasn’t had a losing season since 1997.
It’s the only FBS program since the start of the BCS/College Football Playoff era – and the start of CFN – that doesn’t have a losing season.
And there’s more than 7-5 of 2021 being 7-5. It’s not like there were any big misfires with the Broncos having a shot in every loss, with the possible exception of the season finale against a San Diego State that turned it up a few notches.
There were issues that need to be fixed under head coach Andy Avalos, and again, just coming up with a winning season isn’t okay around there, but this is a tweak. There’s no reason for any sort of panic, or tear down, or redo.
However …
Boise State Broncos Preview 2022: Offense
The running game has to be better. Boise State has always had an efficient offense, great defense, and tough ground attack with great backs who set the tone for everything else.
It’s not necessarily about the bulk yards – the 2017 ground game wasn’t great, but that strong team got steady production for what it needed. The 2020 ground game was lousy, but that was 2020 and an odd seven game season.
Last year’s offensive line was okay, but it struggled to generate enough of a push for a ground attack that finished an inexcusable 110th in the country. The line has size, more options, and decent depth, but it needs to come up with a solid starting five that can generate a push
The backs are more than good enough. Andrew Van Buren is transferring out, but leading rusher George Holani is terrific when he gets into groove, and the untested backups at least fit the system in a rotation.
Running game, schmunning game … Hank Bachmeier is back at quarterback. As long as he’s healthy, he’s a difference-maker who’s been around long enough to take his game up a few notches. Helped by the transfer of Sam Vidlak from Oregon State, the depth is there in case 19 goes down.
The receiving corps isn’t exactly a concern, but top target Khalil Shakir is off to the Buffalo Bills and almost all of the top pass catchers from last year are either gone or running backs or both.
Boise State Broncos Preview 2022: Defense
The defense was good, but it needs to be better. It wasn’t consistently strong enough against the run, the pass rush wasn’t there, and overall it finished fifth in the Mountain West. However, it led the conference in scoring D – tough to do in a conference with that San Diego State defense of last year – and now almost all of the stars are back.
The linebacking corps loses longtime star Riley Whimpey, but 240-pound Ezekiel Noa is a veteran banger in the middle and he’s got good good tacklers, size, and experience around him to fill in the gaps in the 4-2-5 alignment.
Scott Matlock is an All-Mountain West interior pass rushing tackle to anchor the front, and most of the playmakers who got behind the line return. But …
A whole lot of the disruption came from the secondary. Safety JL Skinner is an all-around defender who led the team in tackles and tackles for loss, and Tyreque Jones is a big-tackling run supporter who can do a little of everything.
The defense picked off 13 passes – almost all from the secondary – and helped by the return of Caleb Biggers and Tyric LeBeauf, the corners are set.
Keys To The Season | Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Boise State Top 10 Players | Boise State Schedule