2024 Oregon football summer opponent preview: 3 Boise State Broncos to watch

The Boise State Broncos are the second foe for Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks on the 2024 Oregon football schedule and they’re a significant step up in terms of talent from the Ducks’ week one matchup with the Idaho Vandals.

There’s a very real chance that we see this Boise State team make a few plays against Oregon in week two. I’m not saying that the Ducks are going to lose this one, I don’t think that’s the case at all. That said, I do think it’s possible that Oregon will get a bit of a test and an opportunity to work off some rust when the Ducks play Boise State.

And that’s because Boise State has some solid talent on its roster.

As we get to know the Boise State Broncos ahead of their meeting with the Oregon Ducks, it only makes sense to become familiar with some key Broncos players. So, as the Ducks get set to start the 2024 Oregon football season, let’s learn a bit more about some Boise State Broncos who could make a significant impact on the game:

No. 1: Ashton Jeanty - Running Back

Last season, the Broncos relied heavily on their running game to get the offense rolling. In total, Boise State managed to run for over 3000 yards in the 2023 season. And Ashton Jeanty was a huge reason for that. 

Jeanty is coming off an outstanding 2023 season where he dominated on the ground as he ran for 1,347 yards and 14 touchdowns.

But, in addition to that, Jeanty also managed to showcase plenty of versatility and playmaking for Boise State’s passing attack as well. Jeanty was one of Boise State’s best receiving weapons as he caught 43 passes for 569 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

In total, Jeanty managed to rack up over 1900 total yards of offense and had 19 touchdowns. He’s a force to be reckoned with and the Oregon defense will certainly need to account for him in this week two game against the Broncos.

No. 2: Maddux Madsen - Quarterback

While he wasn’t the only quarterback who got meaningful playing time for the Boise State Broncos in 2023, it seems plausible that Maddux Madsen is poised to have a big year during the 2024 Boise State football season. 

Of course, that’s working under the assumption that Madsen is able to hold on to the starting position after he suffered a rough knee injury last season and then the transfer of Malachi Nelson from the USC Trojans.

And working under that assumption that it will be Madsen (he is more familiar with the Broncos and has a decent bit of experience in Boise), the Broncos are getting a guy who showed flashes of potential a season ago as he threw for 1,191 yards and nine touchdowns against just three interceptions.

Oh, and Madsen did all of that while completing 61 percent of his passes and running for an additional 120 yards and two touchdowns. 

If Madsen’s knee is fully healthy and he’s able to step back into the starting role, he’s a versatile enough and experienced enough quarterback to make things challenging for opposing defenses. 

No. 3: A'Marion McCoy - Defensive back

The Broncos aren’t just talented on offense, there’s some legit talent on the defensive side of things as well. A'Marion McCoy emerged as a playmaker in Boise State's secondary during the 2023 season.

Last year, McCoy managed to snag three picks, which is tied for leading Boise State during the 2023 season. On top of that, McCoy also broke up five passes and recorded a total of 31 tackles for the Broncos defense.

Working under the assumption that Boise State’s front seven can create pressure on opposing quarterbacks this year, then there’s a good chance that McCoy has another great season defending against errant and rushed passes in 2024.

While the Oregon offense is laden with talented pass catching threats, it’ll be fascinating to see how the Ducks plan to account for McCoy in this matchup.