Boise State’s Spencer Danielson on penalty issues: ‘We’ve got to figure it out'

Broncos rank 134th nationally in penalties per game

Boise State defensive back Sherrod Smith gets called for pass interference. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Boise State football is often associated with discipline, but the Broncos have struggled with self-inflicted wounds all season.

Heading into Saturday’s Mountain West home matchup with New Mexico (3-2, 0-1), the Broncos (3-2, 1-0) rank 134th nationally in penalties per game at 9.5. Boise State is 133rd in penalty yards at 82.8. 

The Broncos had 13 accepted penalties for 112 yards in last week’s 28-7 loss at No. 16 Notre Dame.  

“We’ve got to figure it out,” Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson said on Monday. “We are in the business of being problem solvers. So there’s no issue that we’ll ever see on film that I’m ever going to be like ‘Ah, this is what it is.’ Never.

“All penalties are a version of a lack of discipline, no question. I’ve got to look at that as a staff, with our players, how can we make sure we have high accountability to make sure that doesn’t happen. There are bang-bang things that happen in a game — holding — that we just have to make sure it’s a fundamental and technique issue.”

Ten of the 13 penalties Boise State committed at Notre Dame were on offense. The Broncos were hurt by false start penalties in both road losses. 

Oct 4, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Sire Gaines (26) gets tackled by Notre Dame Fighting Irish cornerback DeVonta Smith (0) during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

“Let’s talk false starts; we’ve had them almost in every game,” Danielson said. “We are not like ‘Oh, it’s whatever.’ That can’t happen, cannot happen, cannot start behind the sticks. So we’re looking at what are we not communicating. Is it performance anxiety in some of these moments? Is it our guys getting worn down? Whatever it is, we have to figure it out, and that’s a conversation we’ve had.”

Danielson noted that not all penalties are created equal. 

Starting wide receiver Latrell Caples was called for a pair of personal fouls — one on an illegal block that negated a big completion to Matt Wagner, another following a Maddux Madsen interception — that Danielson had questions about. 

“There are some penalties in-play that happen, like the one on Latrell on the explosive screen,” Danielson said. “I think he did a really good job with it, I really do, but we’re going to coach it.

“But our guys are battling. There was the personal foul when he tackled the guy on the interception. Watch it on film, it was late. Honestly, seeing it in-game, I thought it was pretty bang-bang … he’s getting the guy on the ground after an interception. Those are ones I’ve got to continue to look at in how we’re teaching it to make sure (we’re doing it right).”