‘He’s got to have the ball’: In surprise, Broncos turn to tight end to jolt passing game

Jake Roh and Kyle Efaw rank No. 1 and No. 2 in Boise State history for most yards and most touchdowns in a career by a tight end.

But redshirt junior tight end Matt Lauter accomplished something Saturday night that neither ever did.

Lauter caught a team-best seven passes for 91 yards and a touchdown as the Broncos took down Portland State 56-14 in their 2024 home opener at Albertsons Stadium.

It was the most receptions by a Boise State tight end in a single game since Derek Schouman hauled in eight for 72 yards in the Broncos’ famous 2007 Fiesta Bowl victory over Oklahoma.

“The first two weeks, he blocked his tail off every game,” quarterback Maddux Madsen said of Lauter. “Undeniably, one of the best blockers in the country when it comes to the tight end position. But also, on the flip side, he’s probably one of the best receiving tight ends in the country as well.”

Lauter entered Saturday’s game with just three receptions for 23 yards on the season, and he had just nine catches in 13 games in 2023. But among the passes he hauled in against the Vikings were receptions of 24 and 18 yards, and a pair of 15-yarders, helping a passing game that went for 267 yards on the night.

“The pass game is very dependent on what kind of defensive look and coverage we are getting,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said. “Coach (Dirk) Koetter and the offense did a really good job knowing the top coverages we’re going to see in these situations and being able to set up Matt.

“I mean, Matt Lauter is a matchup nightmare, and being able to put him in situations to do what he did tonight is a huge deal.”

Lauter’s night didn’t exactly start off as planned. On his second reception of the game, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound San Diego native had the football knocked loose by Portland State nickel Jaden DaCosta, and defensive tackle J’Querian Ladson recovered the fumble for the Vikings on the Boise State 40-yard-line.

The miscue came with the game tied at 7-all with 4:46 left in the first quarter, but Madsen said he had no reason to doubt his tight end.

“I know Matt. He’s one of the most elite competitors that I’ve seen,” Madsen said. “So a hiccup like that is not going to shy (me) away from him, nor would it Coach Koetter. He’s got to have the ball in his hands. He’s explosive with it.”

Lauter quickly redeemed himself, grabbing a 4-yard touchdown pass from Madsen just five seconds into the second quarter. It was the first of five unanswered touchdowns for the Broncos, who led 28-7 at halftime and 42-7 by the end of the third quarter.

Lauter was targeted nine times in the game, and the next-closest receiver, Cam Camper, had just four targets. No Bronco besides Lauter had more than two receptions in the game.

“It’s next play mentality, learn and grow from what happened before — good, bad or indifferent,” Danielson said. “... A guy like Matt Lauter, who is a competitor and trains the way he needs to, to be ready for those moments, he corrects it, moves on and we have full trust in Matt Lauter.”