Former walk-on quarterback to make first career start for Boise State

All eyes will be on backup quarterback Max Cutforth when Boise State faces off against San Diego State on Saturday in a critical Mountain West matchup.

Cutforth is set to make his first career start in place of Maddux Madsen, who is out with an undisclosed lower leg injury.

Kickoff between the Broncos (6-3, 4-1) and Aztecs (7-2, 4-1) is slated for 8:30 p.m. Mountain time at Snapdragon Stadium.

Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson wants to see Cutforth be himself in Saturday’s game.

“I’m streamline focused on our process and the focus of our players to do their job and do it to the absolute best of their ability, no different with Max Cutforth,” Danielson said on Thursday. “Was a walk-on, battled. I just need Max to be his best. I don’t need Max to be anybody but himself. I want him to be him. This isn’t a ‘I need to become somebody. This is my one shot to show.’ No. Be you. Go play football.”

Cutforth, a redshirt sophomore from Skyview High School in Nampa, Idaho, joined the Broncos as a walk-on in 2023. He overtook highly-touted transfer Malachi Nelson as Madsen’s backup last season and was placed on scholarship before the College Football Playoff.

The 6-foot-2, 208-pound Cutforth entered the game for Madsen on the third series of Boise State’s 30-7 loss to Fresno State. He largely struggled against the Bulldogs, completing 14 of 29 passes for 106 yards with one touchdown and three turnovers (two interceptions, one fumble).

Danielson said Cutforth’s command of the offense grew during the bye week.

“Obviously, we have to make sure we’re putting him in really good situations,” Danielson said. “And then our team rallying around him.

“But it’s also not our quarterback versus the Aztecs. It’s the Boise State Broncos versus the Aztecs.”

San Diego State leads the MWC in scoring defense (13.1 points per game, fifth nationally) and total defense (261.8 yards per game, sixth nationally).

Danielson said the coaching staff is still “working through” who will be Cutforth’s backup between redshirt freshman Kaleb Annett and true freshman walk-on Zeke Martinez.

“Zeke’s done a good job this week, Kaleb’s done a good job,” Danielson said. “First guy in if Max goes down and we need to make a change? We’re probably going to figure that out right before the game.

“We’ve got three quarterbacks, and we need whoever is in the game to fight their tail off to make good decisions with the football.”

Earlier this week, Danielson said he does expect Madsen to return this season.

Madsen, the 2025 MWC preseason Offensive Player of the Year, has thrown for 1,994 yards and 15 touchdowns with seven interceptions this year.