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College Football 2018: Biggest question facing every Top 25 team in spring practice

By Nicholas Ian Allen

NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Jalen Hurts (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 01: Jalen Hurts (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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BOISE, ID – DECEMBER 2: Defensive end Jabril Frazier #8 of the Boise State Broncos celebrates a sack during first half action in the Mountain West Championship against the Fresno State Bulldogs on December 2, 2017 at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images)
BOISE, ID – DECEMBER 2: Defensive end Jabril Frazier #8 of the Boise State Broncos celebrates a sack during first half action in the Mountain West Championship against the Fresno State Bulldogs on December 2, 2017 at Albertsons Stadium in Boise, Idaho. (Photo by Loren Orr/Getty Images) /

Can the Broncos get back to the New Year’s Six?

Boise State was the first Group of Five school to earn a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl game, and the Broncos capitalized on the new system by beating Arizona 38-30 in the Fiesta Bowl after the 2014 season. Boise was still considered the elite non-power conference program in the nation, and many expected the Broncos to reign supreme in that role for years to come. Instead, they haven’t been back.

Surprisingly, the Broncos didn’t even pose a threat as Houston, Western Michigan and UCF were the next three teams to make it through and make it through to represent the G5 against the big boys. San Diego State won the Mountain West in 2015 and 2016, and though Boise State was able to reclaim the conference title last year, three regular season losses doomed its hopes of making it back to a marquee bowl game.

The Broncos appear poised to make a run in 2018. Quarterback Brett Rypien shook off his early-season struggles to throw for a solid 2,877 yards and 16 touchdowns to six interceptions. Though Rypien won’t have Cedrick Wilson to throw to, A.J. Richardson and Sean Modster should be one of the top pass-catching duos in the league. Running back Alexander Mattison also returns after running for 1,086 yards and 12 touchdowns.

There are even more reasons to be optimistic on defense. Losing linebacker Leighton Vander Esch early to the NFL Draft hurts, but every other full-time starter returns. Boise State is actually set to welcome back its next 14 leading tacklers from last year’s squad, including top pass rusher Jabril Frazier and playmaking defensive backs Kekoa Nawahine, DeAndre Pierce, Tyler Horton and Avery Williams.

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