Andy Avalos’ second season as Boise State football coach went much smoother than his first as the Broncos went 10-4 with a division title.
The Broncos were probably a win or two away from finishing the 2022 season ranked in the final AP Top 25, but a loss in the Mountain West title game was the difference. They rebounded to win the Frisco Bowl over North Texas, however.
Moving into the 2023 season, Avalos is looking to get the Broncos back to the top of the Group of Five world and he’ll need these three guys from the 2023 class to do just that.
The higher-rated signee in Boise State’s 2022 class, many expected Dishawn Misa to have a major role on the defense in year one. That just didn’t quite happen.
In fact, Misa played in just four games as a freshman and most of his production came on special teams. He ended the year with just one tackle and had fans clamoring for more of the former four-star recruit.
We’ll see that in 2023.
By playing in just four games, Misa was able to retain that redshirt which is great news because fans will want him to be around for as long as possible. He can be that good for the Broncos moving forward. They’re losing a starter at linebacker next season and Misa could slide right in and make some noise.
Although Riley Smith announced he’d be coming back for another year, I think we’re going to see another tight end rise on the depth chart and become a borderline star in the Boise State offense.
That could be Austin Terry.
The former three-star tight end may not overtake Smith on the depth chart as the senior had over 200 yards and a touchdown last season, but he’s going to become an integral part of the offense in 2023.
Terry was actually Boise State’s second-highest-rated recruit in the 2022 class as the No. 51 tight end in the nation and No. 901 overall, so I wouldn’t be shocked to see him finally earn some playing time. He’ll be a redshirt freshman next season and I think the sky is the limit for the 6-5, 230-pounder from Washington.
Boise State had just 26 catches from tight ends last season and that’s going to have to change if the offense is going to be effective.
Terry will help fix that.
There was a massive discrepancy between Ashton Jeanty’s 247Sports ranking and other recruiting site’s evaluation of the running back from Texas. Well, it turns out he looked more like the four-star that 247Sports thought he was. He was ranked as the nation’s No. 29 back and the 45th-best recruit in a loaded state of Texas.
And in year one, the four-star rushed for 818 yards and eight touchdowns and also caught 14 passes for 155 yards.
Sure, this could be considered a star player already, but I don’t even think the young back has scratched the surface, especially after splitting carries with George Holani last season. Holani will be back to split carries once again in 2023, but I think we’ll see Jeanty’s role increase even more.
Jeanty is just far too talented and versatile to keep off the field so even when Holani is getting the carries, he could come in to catch passes out of the backfield and make electric plays.
Jeanty will be a household name soon enough.