Boise State offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter loves to remind people that he always believed in quarterback Maddux Madsen.
He was back at it again on Thursday afternoon during a press conference ahead of Boise State’s trip to Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl against Penn State: “No one except for me in this room thought that he was going to be a good college quarterback,” Koetter proclaimed.
Koetter may not have been the only person to believe in Madsen, but he could have been one of the few at the start of the season.
Madsen took over for starting quarterback Taylen Green last season, only to get injured in his first start, against New Mexico. Green then led the Broncos to a Mountain West championship, only to enter the transfer portal and wind up at Arkansas.
In spring practice this year, with Madsen still recovering from knee surgery, former five-star recruit and USC transfer Malachi Nelson got a chance to audition for the job, and played well in the spring game. But then fall camp came, and Madsen won out.