Boise State 2025 spring football position-by-position preview: Defensive backs

Broncos must improve pass defense in 2025

Penn State's Kaytron Allen tries to break by Boise State Broncos safety Ty Benefield. / Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Boise State soared to new heights during the 2024 football season.

The Broncos repeated as Mountain West Conference champions and were selected for the College Football Playoff. 

Both accomplishments were program firsts for the Broncos, who finished 12-2 overall after falling to Penn State in the Fiesta Bowl. 

Boise State’s roster will look a bit different next season as star players like running back Ashton Jeanty and defensive end Ahmed Hassanein move on to the NFL. 

With spring ball just around the corner, Boise State Broncos on SI is taking a position-by-position look at head coach Spencer Danielson’s roster heading into next season. 

We have already covered the offensive side of the ball with pieces on the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends and offensive linemen.

On defense, we have looked at the defensive linemen/edge rushers and linebackers and are moving on to the defensive backs.

Defensive backs 

Boise State’s biggest weakness during the 2024 season was secondary play. 

The Broncos surrendered 241.1 passing yards per game, ranking 106th out of 133 teams nationally. 

“The things that we struggle with … are fixable, and I believe we have the players to do it,” Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson said. “Now, it’s going to work to make sure we do.”

Danielson noted that struggling secondaries tend to have issues in one of two areas: blown coverages or allowing contested catches. 

According to Danielson, most of the Broncos’ problems came on 50/50 balls.  

“The other reality I want people to understand is we were very successful this year,” Danielson said. “We were leading 90 percent of the time throughout these games. So what does that turn an offense into? More of a pass offense.

“I believe we’re going to have a really good back end going into the season. But that doesn’t mean anything. We have to go to work and continue to clean up.”

The Broncos have three full-time secondary starters coming back in safety Ty Benefield and cornerbacks A’Marion McCoy and Jeremiah Earby. 

Benefield, a junior-to-be, led the Broncos in total tackles (82) and interceptions (two) last season. He was an honorable mention all-Mountain West recipient. 

Earby (34 total tackles, six pass breakups, one interception), McCoy (60 total tackles, 13 pass breakups, one interception) and Benefield started all 14 games for the Broncos a season ago. McCoy will be a fifth-year senior who is taking advantage of an NCAA waiver granting additional eligibility to former junior college players.

Fellow returnees Zion Washington and Davon Banks also have starting experience. 

Boise State must replace starting safety Alexander Teubner, nickelback Seyi Oladipo and part-time starting safety Rodney Robinson.

To fill in some gaps, the Broncos brought in Samuel Brooks, Sherrod Smith and Jalen Webb from the junior college ranks and added Arizona transfer Demetrius Freeney. Brooks, Freeney and Webb will all participate in spring practice.