Boise State quarterback nominated for another national preseason award

Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen picked up his third national preseason award nomination on Thursday. 

Madsen was selected to the Davey O’Brien Award watch list, the Davey O’Brien Foundation announced. The award is given annually to the best quarterback in college football. 

Madsen, the 2025 preseason Mountain West player of the year, threw for 3,018 yards and 23 touchdowns with six interceptions last season. He also ran for 221 yards and five scores. 

The 5-foot-10, 201-pound junior quarterback is also up for two national player of the year honors: the Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award.

Seven other Boise State players have been named to preseason watch lists heading into the 2025 season. 

Redshirt freshman running back Sire Gaines is on the Doak Walker Award (nation’s top running back) watch list. Gaines played in three games as a true freshman before suffering a season-ending ankle injury, running for 156 yards with 44 yards receiving.

Kage Casey, a junior offensive tackle, is up for the Outland Trophy (college football’s top interior lineman). Casey has made 28 starts for Boise State at left tackle. 

Junior edge rusher Jayden Virgin-Morgan is on the Bronko Nagurski Trophy (best defensive player in college football) watch list. Virgin-Morgan paced Boise State with 10 sacks a season ago. 

Marco Notarainni, a senior linebacker, was selected to the Wuerffel Trophy (college football player who best combines community service and leadership on and off the field) watch list. Notarainni is also a nominee for the Allstate AFCA Good Works Team.

Notarainni tallied 60 total tackles, 3.5 sacks, three quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries as a junior. 

Junior safety Ty Benefield and senior cornerback A’Marion McCoy are both on the Jim Thorpe Award (top defensive back in college football) watch list. 

Benefield notched a team-high 82 total tackles last year while also adding five pass breakups, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries. McCoy recorded 11 pass breakups last year, tying for second in the nation.

Senior Mason Hutton is up for the Patrick Mannelly Award (nation’s top long snapper). 

Ten Boise State players were named to the preseason all-MWC team: Madsen, Latrell Caples (wide receiver), Casey, Mason Randolph (offensive line), Matt Lauter (tight end), Braxton Fely (defensive line), Virgin-Morgan, Notarainni, Benefield and McCoy.

Head coach Spencer Danielson was selected to the Dodd Trophy preseason watch list. The Dodd Trophy is awarded to a coach who succeeds on the field while also emphasizing the importance of scholarship, leadership and integrity — the three pillars of legendary coach Bobby Dodd’s philosophy.