‘He’s an NFL quarterback;’ Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson on South Florida’s Byrum Brown

The 6-foot-3, 231-pound Brown is fully healthy entering Thursday’s 3:30 p.m. Mountain time matchup with No. 25 Boise State. 

“He will be one of the best football players we see all year on either side of the ball,” Danielson said in a press conference on Saturday. “Not even just talking one of the best quarterbacks we see, he’s one of the best football players we will see in the 2025 season. I have a ton of respect for him, have done a lot of research on him over the summertime, getting to know more about him. Man, I just have a lot of respect for the young man. His character, how he leads. 

“He gets a lot of credit in regards to how he runs the ball, which he should. He can make every throw now, too. I mean he is big, strong. He’s an NFL quarterback. We will see him play on Sundays here soon, and he’s earned that.”

Brown showcased his numerous abilities as a sophomore, completing 276 of 426 passes (65 percent) for 3,292 yards with 26 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He added 203 carries for 809 yards and 11 scores on the ground. 

In September of last season, Brown suffered a leg injury against Tulane that sidelined him for the rest of the year. He made a full recovery and has looked better than ever during preseason camp, Bulls head coach Alex Golesh said in a recent appearance on The Jim Rome Show. 

Slowing down Brown will be a top priority for Boise State’s defense at Raymond James Stadium.  

“When you’re playing an elite football player — which I would really put Brown in that mix — you’ve got to have answers,” Danielson said. “You’ve got to have schematic answers. You have to make sure your defense and whoever is going in is very aware of who you’re playing. 

“But you also have to give yourself grace. They’re going to make some plays, man. Brown’s going to get his plays. He’s an elite football player. There’s not one schematic answer that can take him away, I don’t care who you are. He’s an elite football player. He’s a three-year starter and has put up yards on everybody he’s played. … We just have to stay in the fight, keep our focus. They’re going to get their plays, we’re going to get ours. We’ve got to stay in it and we’ve got to find ways to slow him down.”