It was an auspicious start to the bowl season for the Mountain West. A depleted Boise State squad was faced with the tough task of matching up with one of the top teams in the Big Ten in the Washington Huskies. Boise State battled for the first quarter, but the Huskies’ size, athleticism, and depth were too much for the Broncos to overcome. In this edition of “The Good, the Bad. the Ugly,” we are going to revisit the most important moments of the game.
The Good
Washington’s Roster
Washington’s roster was filled
with more NFL talent than Boise State’s and every single Husky with an NFL future decided to play in the bowl game. The most notable of those players were star wide receiver Denzel Boston and running back Jonah Coleman. Both players had a huge impact on the game with Boston having six catches for 126 yards and Coleman rushing for 85 yards on 12 carries. This game might have had a different outcome if those two didn’t play. Meanwhile, Boise State’s star left tackle Kage Casey decided not to play and didn’t even travel with the team to Los Angeles.
The Bad
Comments Made After the Game
There were a number of notable comments made by Boise State players and coaches after the game. Let’s start with senior tight end Matt Lauter, who was asked about the status of left tackle Kage Casey and how it impacted the team. Lauter noted that not having Casey put a heavier burden on the tight ends who were tasked with chipping Washington’s talented defensive ends. See his comments here:
On top of that, Danielson noted that he was confident in Boise State’s quarterback situation moving forward and did not expect to add someone in the portal this off-season. Poor quarterback play has been a killer for the Broncos this season. This is a team with one of the most talented Group of Five rosters; yet poor quarterback play kept them from contending for a spot in the playoff. Maybe Danielson has confidence in Madsen, maybe he believes in the highly-rated true freshmen that are coming in, or maybe he was just trying to deflect. Only time will tell.
The Ugly
Turnovers and Undisciplined Play
It is nearly impossible to win football games when you lose the turnover battle 5-1. It is especially deflating when all of those turnovers come on interceptions that were poor decisions or bad reads. The final score may not indicate it, but this was a winnable game for the Broncos. All the team needed was a quarterback that could keep his composure and take care of the ball. Poor quarterback play put the defense in a tough position, as they were constantly put in situations where they were forced to defend a short field or did not get much time to rest on the sideline. The quarterback play was very troublesome, and Boise State fans are right to be concerned about the future of the quarterback position for the Broncos.
Will this performance impact Boise State’s off-season? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
