Boise State star tight end not listed on player availability report

Tight end Matt Lauter, nickelback Jaden Mickey to play this week

Boise State Broncos tight end Matt Lauter. | Brian Losness-Imagn Images

Coming off a pair of non-conference games, Boise State returns to Mountain West play this week with a Saturday matchup against New Mexico. 

Kickoff between the Broncos (3-2, 1-0) and Lobos (3-2, 0-1) is slated for 7:45 p.m. Mountain time at Albertsons Stadium. The game will air live on FS1. 

Four Boise State reserves will miss Saturday’s game: defensive back Davon Banks, linebacker Chase Martin, linebacker Syncere Brackett-Lambey and offensive lineman Hall Schmidt. All four players received official designations of “out” in Boise State’s mandatory player availability report. 

No Broncos received the designation of “questionable” in the availability report.

Lauter and Mickey both missed last week’s game against Notre Dame due to concussion symptoms but will be available for Saturday’s game. Lauter was a surprise scratch against the Irish. 

“Right now, he’s going to play, which is a huge deal for our team,” Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson said on Thursday. “Not having him against Notre Dame was big. He’s a pivotal part of our offense. He’s a pivotal part of our team, too. As much as it is next man up, carry the flag — and I think Matt Wagner did a really good job on Saturday — (Lauter is one of) the best players at Boise State for a reason … and when you don’t have one of your best players, that affects you.”

Lauter, a first-team all-MWC pick a season ago, has 13 catches for 148 yards and one touchdown as a senior. The Broncos only scored seven points at Notre Dame without Lauter in the lineup, falling 28-7 to the Irish.  

“Our guys did a good job responding from either different personnel we used — I mean, we used some 10 (personnel) in the game to get some more receivers in — and Matt Wagner stepped up and did some really good things,” Danielson said of replacing Lauter last week. “And some other tight ends did as well.”

The MWC implemented a player availability report policy for all conference games this season.  

Forty-eight hours before kickoff, teams are required to list which players are questionable to play or will be unavailable. The designations are updated three hours prior to kickoff. 

The reports only include a player’s name and availability. No specific injury details are listed in the report. 

Schools are only required to submit availability reports for conference games. All available reports are posted on TheMW.com.