Who are Boise State’s leaders entering 2026 spring football practice?

Boise State had four captains during the 2025 season: quarterback Maddux Madsen, offensive tackle Kage Casey, edge rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan and linebacker Marco Notarainni.

Casey and Notarainni have both moved on to NFL Draft prep, but Madsen and Virgin-Morgan are back with the Broncos for one last ride. Both players remain team leaders as Boise State is set to kick off its 2026 spring practice slate on Thursday.

Head coach Spencer Danielson said Madsen, a returning two-year starter at quarterback, grew even more as a leader throughout the offseason.

“Maddux Madsen is doing a phenomenal job,” Danielson said during Monday’s press conference. “Leadership-wise, the edge he’s trained with, that young man is on a mission, and you can feel it. You can feel it in how he works.

“I’ve had some coaches come to practice and watch us and they’re like ‘That dude is different in how he is just training, just how he’s moving.’ Love that about him.”

Madsen finished his junior season 176 of 302 passing (58 percent) for 2,334 yards with 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He missed three full games due to injury and was knocked out of Boise State’s losses to Fresno State and Washington in the LA Bowl.

On the defensive side of the ball, Danielson singled out returning senior nickelback Jaden Mickey as a player who emerged as an offseason leader. Mickey made 11 starts last year and tallied 38 total tackles (seven for loss).

“A guy that played for us last year, going into his senior year, seeing him with some of our younger guys and new players, pulling them higher,” Danielson said. “It’s been awesome to see.”

Danielson also praised a pair of offensive players—right guard Roger Carreon and wide receiver Cam Bates—for their growth as leaders.

“Roger Carreon—even being kind of banged up and not being able to go through some of the stuff due to some surgeries and getting healthy for season, which he will be—he has an edge about himself about making sure that all the little details (are correct),” Danielson said. “ Not just about the offensive line, but our team is focused on.”

“Another guy that I want to give a shoutout to because I think this is not so much his personality is Cam Bates. Cam Bates is going into his junior year, he is a no-bad-days, anything-for-the-team guy. And he has stepped up in his leadership with the receiver group, and it’s been so cool to see.”