3 position battles to watch in Boise State’s fall camp

Broncos to begin fall camp in two months

Boise State Broncos quarterback Max Cutforth. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Several spots on Boise State’s depth chart will be up for grabs during fall camp. 

The Broncos, who are set to open the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Oregon, return six starters on offense and five on defense. 

Here are three position battles to watch when fall camp kicks off in two months. 

Backup quarterback

Maddux Madsen is returning for his third season as the starting quarterback, but Madsen missed three full games and the second half of two others last year due to injury. If Madsen again misses time in 2026, the Broncos have two options to choose from. 

Max Cutforth, a junior, won the backup quarterback job a season ago and made three starts in place of Madsen. He guided Boise State to a 2-1 record in his three starts and finished the year 95 of 167 (57 percent) passing for 1,059 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions. 

Early-enrollee true freshman Cash Herrera was a spring practice standout who picked up the offense quickly. Herrera, one of Boise State’s highest-ranked class of 2026 signees, was rated the No. 39 quarterback nationally and the No. 54 overall prospect in California by 247Sports. 

Cutforth and Herrera were locked in a tight competition for the No. 2 quarterback role following spring practice. 

Wide receiver

The Broncos lost three productive receivers from last season in Latrell Caples (51 receptions, 617 yards, three touchdowns), Chris Marshall (30 receptions, 574 yards, two TDs) and Chase Penry (30 receptions, 394 yards, one TD), but the wide receiver room could actually have more juice in 2026. 

Transfers Darren Morris (Southern University) and Akeem Wright (DeAnza College) and true freshmen Terrious Favors and Rasean Jones could all be major contributors. The list of returning rotation receivers includes Cam Bates, Quinton Brown, Ben Ford and Qumonte Williams Jr.

Ford is coming off a lower leg injury and could be limited at the start of fall camp. 

Defensive back

In the lead-up to spring practice, Boise State listed all 20 secondary players on its roster as defensive backs without a specified cornerback or safety designation. Head coach Spencer Danielson and new DBs coach Terrence Brown wanted to experiment with different lineups and formations during the spring. 

Jaden Mickey, the lone returning starter in the Broncos’ secondary, could wind up starting at cornerback or nickelback. Other candidates to start at cornerback include returnees Franklyn Johnson Jr., Demetrius Freeney Jr. and Sherrod Smith and Kennesaw State transfer JeRico Washington Jr.

Travis Anderson and Derek Ganter Jr. are the frontrunners to start at safety. South Dakota State transfer Roman Tillmon is also in line to see significant snaps at nickelback or safety.