Boise State quarterback named to Maxwell Award watch list

Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty won the Maxwell Award (college football’s player of the year) and the Doak Walker Award (nation’s top running back) during his record-breaking 2024 campaign. 

The Broncos have another Maxwell Award candidate this season in junior quarterback Maddux Madsen, who was named to the award’s watch list on Monday. 

The 5-foot-10, 201-pound Madsen started all 14 games for Boise State last year, throwing for 3,018 yards and 23 touchdowns with six interceptions. Madsen also had 57 carries for 221 yards and five TDs.

With Madsen behind center, Boise State finished 12-2 overall, won a second straight Mountain West title and reached the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.

Madsen received all-MWC honorable mention as a sophomore in Boise State’s run-heavy offense. Jeanty, who was selected sixth overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL Draft, ran for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns. 

Earlier this month, Madsen was named 2025 MWC preseason player of the year. He is one of Boise State’s four team captains for the upcoming season. 

“We’re excited for Maddux to really take the reins in this fall camp,” Broncos head coach Spencer Danielson said of Madsen last week. Boise State opened fall camp on Monday.

“I believe Maddux can be one of the better quarterbacks in the country this year.”

Danielson and first-year offensive coordinator Nate Potter said Madsen grew as a leader during spring practice. 

“He’s been a great leader for our team,” Potter said in the spring. “He’s been operating really well. We’re trying to challenge him mentally in certain aspects, and he’s answered those challenges. He’s made some plays. I’m looking for him to be consistent, and he has been that. For us as coaches, it’s about continuing to find ways to push him to make him better, and then him becoming the best leader possible and being the engine for our offense. And so far this spring, he’s been doing that.”

Madsen is one of 80 players on the Maxwell Award watch list. The list is comprised of 47 quarterbacks, 26 running backs and seven wide receivers. 

The MWC has two representatives on the Maxwell Award watch list: Madsen and UNLV running back Jai’Den Thomas.

The Maxwell Award semifinalists will be announced on Nov. 11 while the three finalists will be revealed on Nov. 25. The winner of the 2025 Maxwell Award will be announced on Dec. 11. 

Jeanty is the only Maxwell Award winner in Boise State history.