‘He was pretty special’: Skyview QB hopes to become Boise State’s next star walk-on

Skyview High football coach David Robinson spent 15 years as the Hawks’ offensive coordinator and developed what he described as a diverse playbook that puts a lot of responsibility squarely on the shoulders of the quarterback.

It’s not uncommon for his quarterbacks to throw the ball 30 or 40 times a game, and the running game is made possible only by the quarterback’s ability to diagnose defenses and exploit favorable matchups.

The pressure and responsibility that come with the position aren’t for everybody, Robinson said, but he had no hesitation when it came to letting Max Cutforth run the show.

“We gave him the keys to the car completely, and he was pretty special,” said Robinson, who was promoted to head coach last month. “He’s special in a lot of ways. He has the arm talent, but the thing people are going to be most impressed with is his ability to lead. Guys look up to him because he’s a doer, not a talker.”

Cutforth racked up 3,788 passing yards and 44 touchdowns in two seasons as the Hawks’ starter. Now he’s joining a long list of players who have taken the long road to joining the Boise State brotherhood.

Cutforth is one of seven walk-ons who will join the Boise State football team this year, the Broncos announced Wednesday. Besides Cutforth, five of them played at high schools in Idaho: Bishop Kelly’s Cole Miller and Joshua Horn, Rocky Mountain’s Troy Wilkey, Meridian’s Bridjer Bivens and Shelley’s Ryker Clinger.

“It really is a dream come true,” said Cutforth, who spent his childhood in Kuna and Nampa and still counts photos of himself wearing a Boise State jersey at 5 years old among his most prized possessions. “I worked really hard for this, and I’m really grateful for the opportunity.”

Boise State has a reputation for turning walk-ons into stars. Dallas Cowboys linebacker Leighton Vander Esch and Atlanta Falcons running back Avery Williams joined the program without scholarships before their careers took off.

Cutforth has an example to look up to that hits much closer to home. Former Skyview running back Tyler Crowe joined the Broncos as a walk-on in 2019. He did enough to earn a scholarship by 2021.

“It gives me a lot of hope knowing I can turn that into a scholarship,” Cutforth told the Idaho Statesman on Wednesday. “It’s definitely not given, but it’s possible.”

Cutforth said he’s already overcome a difficult circumstance to earn playing time. He enrolled at Skyview as a sophomore and wasn’t eligible to play for almost half the season because of transfer rules, but he still managed to get on the field.

Cutforth was tapped to replace the Hawks’ injured starter early in a first-round playoff game, and he led touchdown drives on his first two possessions. His first snap was a simple handoff that turned into a long touchdown run. His second drive ended with a 40-yard TD pass.

Skyview ultimately lost a back-and-forth game, ending its season, but Robinson saw what he was getting with Cutforth.

“I learned he was a competitor,” Robinson said. “He was pushing for the job as a sophomore. He had some growing pains his junior year, but he steadily progressed, and I think he’s going to surprise a lot of people.”

Cutforth is stepping into a program that does not have an established quarterback to back up starter Taylen Green. Former starter Hank Bachmeier transferred to Louisiana Tech, and Sam Vidlak, who joined the program last year after transferring from Oregon State, jumped back into the portal last December and landed at Montana.

The only other quarterbacks on the roster are fellow walk-on Colt Fulton, sophomore Maddux Madsen and freshman CJ Tiller, who is already on campus after enrolling early.

The Broncos could still pluck a more experienced quarterback out of the transfer portal before fall camp begins, but coach Andy Avalos wouldn’t go into detail about the team’s plans on Wednesday, saying only that “we’re constantly working to identify and evaluate prospects.”

Boise State’s 2023 recruiting class

QB CJ Tiller, 6-3, 200, Rancho Cucamonga (California) High

LB Wyatt Milkovic, 6-1, 233, Basha High, Chandler, Arizona

OL Jason Steele, 6-4, 280, Murrieta Valley (California) High

RB Jambres Dubar, 6-0, 200, Anna (Texas) High

WR Jackson Grier, 6-0, 175, St. Thomas Aquinas High, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

CB Franklyn Johnson Jr., 5-11, 175, Little Elm (Texas) High

OT Kyle Cox, 6-6, 270, Eatonville (Washington) High

OT Carson Rasmussen, 6-5, 300, Owyhee High, Meridian, Idaho

TE Cayden Dawson, 6-5, 232, University City High, San Diego, California

TE Oliver Fisher, 6-5, 225, Sherwood (Oregon) High

DL Michael Madrie, 6-4, 260, Argyle (Texas) High

DL Max Stege, 6-5, 250, Cologne Crocodiles, Germany

Edge Demanuel Brown, 6-4, 230, Dekaney High, Houston, Texas

CB Khai Taylor, 6-2, 174, Pittsburg (California) High

DB Ty Benefield, 6-2, 185, Crean Luthern, Rancho Sanata Margarita, California

CB Nick Hawthorne, 6-2, 175, Boswell (Texas) High

S Titus Toler, 5-11, 195, Wisconsin, Long Beach, California

LB Chase Martin, 6-1, 205, Thousand Oaks (California) High

CB Gabe Tahir, 6-2, 180, Kamiakin High, Kennewick, Washington

CB A’marion McCoy, 6-1, 170, Laney College, Atherton, California

WR Chase Penry, 6-1, 190, Colorado, Greenwood Village, Colorado

TE Matt Wagner, 6-5, 230, Rock Hill High, Prosper, Texas

Edge Kivon Wright, 6-4, 220, Boston College, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Edge Tyler Wegis, 6-6, 240, Utah, Ladera Ranch, California

DL Sheldon Newton, 6-4, 315, Northern Arizona, San Jacinto, California

S Milo Lopez, 6-3, 210, Cerritos College, Whittier, California

OT Olugbenga Komolafe, 6-4, 290, Los Medanos College, Pittsburg, California