The dust from the LA Bowl has barely settled, and yet, Boise State fans are already obsessing over the 2026 depth chart. Honestly, it’s understandable. Following a 9-5 season and a third straight Mountain West title, the focus has shifted from the scoreboard to the training room. Everyone wants to know who’s actually going to be healthy enough to take the field when spring ball rolls around.
Injuries are the great equalizer in college football. You’ve seen it happen. One bad snap or a weird turf toe, and a championship run suddenly feels like a desperate scramble for bowl eligibility.
The current Boise State football injury report isn't just a list of names. It is a map of the team's immediate future. Between medical redshirts and transfer portal maneuvers, the roster in January 2026 looks nothing like the one that walked off the field in December. Basically, if you aren't paying attention to the recovery timelines, you're missing half the story.
The Ben Ford Saga and Wide Receiver Depth
Let’s talk about Ben Ford. It’s hard not to feel for the guy. He’s a local legend from Eagle High School who has basically been through the wringer with injuries.
He was leading the team with five touchdowns last year before that lower leg injury against UNLV in October. It was a gut punch. Coach Spencer Danielson was visibly emotional when he announced Ford would miss the rest of the 2025 season.
"He's a warrior," Danielson said. And he's right.
The big question for 2026 is whether Ford actually comes back. Since he missed the entire 2023 season and a massive chunk of 2025, he’s eligible for a medical redshirt. If he returns for a sixth year, he instantly becomes the most veteran presence in a room that is losing Latrell Caples and Chase Penry to graduation.
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Without Ford, the receiver room is thin.
- Cam Bates and Quinton Brown showed flashes of brilliance last year.
- The team just signed Darren Morris from Southern University via the portal to add some vertical threat.
- Freshman Rasean Jones is coming in with high expectations.
But let's be real: none of those guys have Ford’s experience in this system. His recovery is the single most important storyline for Maddux Madsen’s passing attack this spring.
Defensive Secondary: Beyond the Eligibility Wall
If you look at the official Boise State football injury report from the tail end of last season, names like A'Marion McCoy and Zion Washington weren't on it. They were healthy. But in 2026, they are "out" for a different reason: they've run out of eligibility.
This has created a massive vacuum in the secondary.
Ty Benefield was supposed to be the anchor, but he’s headed to LSU. That leaves a lot of pressure on Jaden Mickey. However, the injury report from last year did highlight some names that are now expected to be full-go.
Davon Banks was listed as "out" for the Nevada game late last season, but his departure from the team was later clarified as disciplinary rather than physical. That’s a key distinction. When people see "out" on a report, they assume a torn ACL. Sometimes, it's just team culture stuff.
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To fix the depth issues, the Broncos have been aggressive. They brought in JeRico Washington Jr. from Kennesaw State and Taebron Bennie-Powell from Notre Dame.
The Battle in the Trenches: Offensive Line Health
Kage Casey is gone to the NFL. That’s a massive hole at left tackle.
Mason Randolph and Zach Holmes are also moving on. This leaves Roger Carreon and Daylon Metoyer as the "old men" of the group. But here’s what most people get wrong: the "injury" to this unit isn't physical—it's a lack of shared reps.
Last season, the offensive line had to shuffle constantly due to minor dings. Dion Washington and Hall Schmidt both spent time on the availability report in late 2025. Schmidt eventually entered the portal for UCLA, which further thins the herd.
Keep an eye on Tyler Ethridge, the transfer from CSU-Pueblo. He’s a big body brought in specifically to mitigate the loss of Casey. If the returning guys like Kyle Cox and Jason Steele can stay out of the training room this winter, the O-line might actually be more stable than people think.
Running Backs: Managing the Workload
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Now, the focus shifts to Dylan Riley and Sire Gaines. Both are talented, but neither has carried the "bell cow" workload for a full FBS season. Riley was listed on various injury trackers intermittently last year, mostly for minor "bumps and bruises" that come with being a backup RB.
The addition of Harry Stewart III from Kansas is a savvy move. Stewart III dealt with his own injury issues at Kansas—specifically a nagging lower-body issue that limited him to just 21 carries.
If Stewart is 100%, he and Riley create a formidable "thunder and lightning" combo. But if that Kansas injury lingers? Then Danielson has a problem. The Broncos' identity is built on running the football to set up the play-action. If the RB room is hobbled, the whole offensive philosophy collapses.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
Tracking a college football injury report in the offseason is less about seeing "Questionable" tags and more about monitoring recovery milestones.
First, keep a close watch on the Spring Game roster. If a player like Ben Ford isn't dressed, it doesn't mean he's out for 2026, but it does mean his integration into the new offensive scheme is delayed.
Second, watch the transfer portal window that closes today, January 16th. Any last-minute additions at safety or wide receiver usually indicate that the coaching staff isn't confident in the recovery timelines of the current roster.
Finally, pay attention to the strength and conditioning updates. Coach Danielson has emphasized "tackling" and "physicality" for the upcoming year. This usually translates to a more intense winter program. Players who thrive here are usually the ones who spent the last three months actually rehabing, not just resting.
The 2026 Broncos will be defined by how they fill these gaps. Whether it's a medical redshirt returning to form or a portal addition filling a void, health is the only thing standing between Boise State and another Mountain West trophy.