What Boise State’s Spencer Danielson said about offensive struggles, run defense

‘We need to be on the attack more as an offense,’ Danielson said

Boise State Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson. | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Boise State’s offense only mustered seven points in last weekend’s 17-7 Mountain West loss to San Diego State in rainy conditions at Snapdragon Stadium. 

The Broncos (6-4, 4-2) attempted just nine passes with backup quarterback Max Cutforth until their final desperation drive. Cutforth finished 12 of 18 passing for 104 yards in his first career start while Boise Sate had 41 carries for 164 yards as a team.

“Obviously there were some variables in the game, right?,” Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson said during Monday’s press conference. “The weather was a variable in regards to why we ran the ball as many times as we did. We knew going in that was going to be a big part, but we definitely need to find our sports to attack more. We need to be on the attack more as an offense. And in looking at it, I know there’s those spots. 

“I had a really good talk with (offensive coordinator Nate Potter) and our offensive staff and we see that, too. Obviously the weather early in the game was coming down pretty good, but there were times in the game when it wasn’t. And even when there is weather, we’ve got to pick our spots. We are still going to run the football. That’s a DNA part of our team, and we were able to do that in the game … but we need to open it up more in certain situations and be on the attack with the ball in the air more consistently.”

Danielson said Cutforth will remain the starter for Saturday’s home game against Colorado State (2-8, 1-5). Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. Mountain time. 

Regular starting quarterback Maddux Madsen is sidelined with an undisclosed lower leg injury. 

Here are the highlights from Danielson’s press conference.

On Cutforth’s starting debut 

“We believe in Max. We did not put him in situations to attack downfield enough, and that’s on us as coaches. In looking at it after the game … we had more opportunities to attack downfield, more opportunities to get the ball on the perimeter, more opportunities to get our playmakers the ball in space, and we didn’t. So we have to make sure we do a better job of that moving forward.” 

On run defense struggles

“We’ve got to stop the run. They threw for (17) yards and beat us. That’s two weeks in a row where a team in total has thrown for (52) yards and beat us. So we’ve had really good conversations looking at why. We’ve got to adjust quicker to some of the run schemes that are coming at us. There was a power scheme that we didn’t fit correctly and they came back to it, and we didn’t get adjusted quick enough. So that’s on coaches to make sure that we adjust quickly to some of the stuff we’re seeing. 

“And then we had some missed tackles in that game that is something we have to continue to focus on, even with guys beat up, banged up, just like everybody is in the country. We’ve got to tackle better.” 

On back-breaking penalties

“We had some critical penalties in the game. Weren’t pre-snap, but critical penalties. Obviously the (holding call) on fourth-and-two, that was an explosive play that would’ve probably ended up going in for a (touchdown) or at least three points. It ended up taking us out (of range) and we had to punt the ball, so that really turned into a turnover.”