Who will be Boise State quarterback Maddux Madsen’s backup in 2026?

A new era of Boise State football is just around the corner.

After capturing three straight Mountain West titles with a College Football Playoff berth in 2024, the Broncos are leaving the MWC for the Pac-12 alongside Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State and Utah State on July 1.

Boise State Broncos On SI is taking a look at the five biggest questions for the Broncos ahead of their 2026 opener at Oregon.

We have already explored the rebuilt receivers room and the defensive back rotation and will now take a look at Boise State’s backup quarterback race.

3. How will the backup quarterback race shake out?

When the Boise State offense takes the field on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Autzen Stadium, Maddux Madsen will be behind center.

Madsen is a returning two-year starter who has completed 507 of 834 career passes (61 percent) for 6,586 yards with 61 total touchdowns—50 passing, 11 rushing—and 18 interceptions heading into his senior season with the Broncos.

The 5-foot-10, 207-pound Madsen was unable to stay healthy last fall, missing three full games and large chunks of two others due to lower leg issues. Madsen was back to 100 percent health in fall camp, but Boise State needs to have a quality backup ready to play if Madsen goes down again.

Junior Max Cutforth made three starts for Madsen last season and finished the year 95 of 167 passing (57 percent) for 1,059 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions. Three of the picks were thrown in the second half of Boise State’s blowout LA Bowl loss to Washington.

Cutforth and true freshmen Cash Herrera and Jackson Taylor were in a three-way battle for the No. 2 quarterback role during spring practice.

The 6-foot-2, 202-pound Herrera was a prized recruit coming out of Southern California’s The Bishop’s School who decommitted from Indiana in November before signing with the Broncos. Herrera, a three-star prospect, was rated the No. 39 quarterback nationally and No. 54 overall prospect in California by 247Sports.

The 6-foot-1, 196-pound Taylor was also a highly-rated three-star recruit as the No. 47 quarterback nationally and No. 65 player in California by 247Sports. The Thousand Oaks High School product committed to head coach Spencer Danielson last June and stuck with the Broncos throughout the process.

Taylor had an up-and-down spring game, completing 6 of 11 passes for 64 yards with a pick-six. Herrera did not officially throw a pass in the spring game but had a beautiful deep-middle throw wiped away on a sack.

Heading into the summer, the Broncos appear to have three quality options at backup quarterback in Cutforth, Herrera and Taylor. All three could win the job during fall camp.

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