Where does Boise State’s quarterback room stand after first spring practice scrimmage?

At the midway point of Boise State’s spring football practice slate, many starting spots remain up for grabs.

Quarterback is a different story as senior Maddux Madsen returns for his third year as the Broncos’ full-time starter behind center.

The 5-foot-10, 207-pound Madsen has completed 507 of 834 career passes (61 percent) for 6,586 yards with 61 total touchdowns—50 passing, 11 rushing—and 18 interceptions during his four seasons with the Broncos. Madsen will be one of the favorites to win Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year next fall.

“Maddux Madsen is doing some really good things,” head coach Spencer Danielson said after Saturday’s scrimmage. “He has continued to get better each and every day, and I think the last two practices have been some of his better ones. There’s some stuff in the scrimmage today he did really well, obviously some things we’ll have to get cleaned up on film. But his leadership, his decision making, he’s a guy that’s going to make plays to win us football games, and he’s doing that. He needs to consistently be one of our top five best players on our entire team, and I’m seeing that day in and day out.”

Madsen missed three full games due to injury last season and finished the year 176 of 302 passing (58 percent) for 2,334 yards with 18 touchdowns and nine picks. He was also knocked out of Boise State’s losses to Fresno State and Washington with a lower leg injury.

Max Cutforth started three games in place of Madsen last season as a sophomore and completed 95 of 167 passes (57 percent) for 1,059 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions.

Danielson said Cutforth and true freshman Cash Herrera have performed well during spring practice.

“I’m proud of the other quarterbacks stepping up, too,” Danielson said. “Max Cutforth, some of our young freshmen. Cash Herrera is having a good spring so far, so it’s been really cool. We’re putting them in a lot of different situations, getting a lot of different reps, so those guys can perform.”

Herrera was rated a three-star prospect and the nation’s No. 39 overall quarterback recruit coming out of Southern California’s The Bishop School. Herrera initially committed to Indiana before flipping to the Broncos last November.

“He’s come along,” Danielson said of Herrera. “I joked with Cash, I don’t know if he knew his first name Practice 1. Defense was moving around, it’s a lot for a young, early-enrollee freshman. Works his tail off, grows, and he has gotten better every single practice.

“Him competing to be the (backup quarterback), we’re not even getting to those roles yet. … But he has grown a ton.”