If Boise State is going to head across the country to knock off another Power Five program, they’ll be doing so with a very fresh face at quarterback.
In one of the most intriguing Group of Five quarterback battles for the 2019 season, the Broncos have named touted true freshman Hank Bachmeier as the team’s starter under center against Florida State in Week 1.
Bryan Harsin confirms it: Hank Bachmeier, the true freshman, is Boise State’s starting QB.
— Dave Southorn (@davesouthorn) August 24, 2019
An early enrollee in the spring, Bachmeier apparently got the leg up he needed from those practices in the race for the starting job after initially becoming one of the program’s highest rated signal-caller recruits as a four-star prep out of Southern California. Though replacing four-year starter Brett Rypien featured as many as five players vying for the gig, the freshman’s chief competition was likely senior Jaylon Henderson -- who presumably will be the backup unless he transfers in the next few days.
Redshirt sophomore Chase Cord was also expected to be in the mix but his return from an ACL tear suffered last season likely hampered his cause while freshman QB Kaiden Bennett transferred earlier in the week.
While the decision to go with the true freshman will likely be viewed as a longterm move for the program, head coach Bryan Harsin certainly isn’t easing him into action with the opener coming in Jacksonville against a hungry Seminoles squad looking for something to prove on Aug. 31.