Washington State Football: 3 things we learned from Boise State win

2. Montell Cozart can really move the ball

Boise State has always been known as a running back factory, but the Broncos’ delivered a very balanced attack against the Washington State Cougars in their Week 2 game. In the first half, Boise State possessed the ball for 18 minutes, and earned 167 total yards on eight first downs — 97 through the air and 70 on the ground.

After starting quarterback Brett Rypien, who went 3-for-4 for 76 yards on the team’s first drive, was knocked out of the game early in the first half on a strip sack by Herculies Mata’afa, head coach Bryan Harsin inserted grad transfer quarterback Montell Cozart into the game which yielded surprisingly positive results.

In addition to completing all four of his first half passes for 21 yards, Cozart also rushed the ball five times for 28 yards, including a 13-yard run. His dual-threat playing style gave the Broncos a different look to exploit an unsuspecting Washington State’s defense.

And Cozart’s emergence as the team’s starter may have been a blessing in disguise.

Unlike the more traditional pocket-passing Rypien, Cozart’s ability to extend the play with his legs opened up a whole new dimension to the Broncos’ defense. His mobility made it harder for Washington State’s aggressive defensive line to finish on the pass rush, and opened up the vertical passing game for wide receivers like speedy Cedrick Wilson, who finished the game with seven catches for 127 yards and a touchdown.

At the end of regulation, Cozart helped lead his team to a 31-31 score while completing 10-of-15 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown while also rushing the ball 13 times for 66 yards and a score.

Even if Rypien is able to play in next week’s contest against New Mexico, Cozart’s impressive performance, and extensive skill set may have just earned the former Kansas Jayhawk a spot as the Broncos’ new starting quarterback.