Boise State coach Spencer Danielson announced that Marshall would be away from the team this week, but return next Monday during the bye week.

BOISE, Idaho — This story originally appeared in the Idaho Press. 

The Boise State football team will be without leading receiver Chris Marshall for Saturday’s game against Fresno State due to disciplinary reasons.

Boise State coach Spencer Danielson announced that Marshall would be away from the team this week, but return next Monday during the bye week. Danielson did not get into details about the incident that resulted in the decision but said it was related to why Marshall played sparingly in the second half of Friday’s 24-7 win against Nevada.

“The standard that we have here and how you act and how you interact with coaches and players matters,” said Danielson. “And I hope he uses this time to learn and grow when he does come back next Monday as part of this team and that he will be even better for it, because we love Chris and he is a huge part of this.”

This is the first known disciplinary action taken against Marshall since transferring to Boise State last year, but the former five-star recruit faced disciplinary actions at his previous two stops in the SEC.

As a freshman at Texas A&M in 2022, Marshall appeared in six games, but was suspended multiple times by the Aggies, transferring after the season. He practiced with Ole Miss during spring 2023, but was released that May for what the team called “a violation of team rules.”

After spending the 2023 season at Kilgore (Texas) College, Marshall transferred to Boise State in 2024, but injuries limited him to four games his first season as a Bronco. Healthy and back on the field, Marshall leads the Broncos in receiving this season with 24 catches for 467 yards and two touchdowns.

He was targeted seven times against Nevada, but caught just two of those passes for 27 yards.

The Broncos are also playing without wide receiver Ben Ford, who suffered a season-ending lower leg injury the previous week against UNLV. Ford had 21 catches for 325 yards and five touchdowns.

With two of their top receivers out, the Broncos will have to turn to younger receivers like Cam Bates, Quinton Brown and Demetric Whitlock Jr., as well as senior Chase Penry, to play even bigger roles this week to help senior Latrell Caples carry the receiving load.

“I think it’s a lot of opportunities for our young guys to step up and get more experience,” Boise State offensive coordinator Nate Potter said. “We’ve done a good job of exposing those young receivers in games already, but a big part of that is now stepping into a larger role or responsibility and taking advantage of that opportunity. I think they’re more than capable of executing everything within our offense, so I don’t see us having to adapt too much, it’s more getting those young guys ready to go.”


REPORT: BRONCOS LOSE QB COMMIT

Boise State suffered a loss on the recruiting trail over the weekend as several recruiting sites reported that Tradon Bessinger, a four-star quarterback from Kaysville, Utah, decommitted from the Broncos following an official visit to Iowa.

Bessinger originally committed to Boise State in May, following his visit to Boise, but has since also picked up offers from BYU, Minnesota, UCLA and Iowa, according to 247Sports.

Danielson was asked Monday about the frustration of losing recruits who had already committed, not specifically Bessinger.

“For me, I’m all about our process,” Danielson said. “If we’ve done it the right way with that young man, that family and they know what our vision is for them and why we believe this is a perfect fit, they’re either going to want to be a part of this, or not. But I am never going to try and force young men to be here. I’m not going to use money to try and make a kid to come here. That’s not what I believe in. I want kids that want to be here, I want kids that want to be a part of this team. And if they don’t, this ain’t the right fit for them. And I sleep at night as long as we handle our process.”

Bessinger is the second quarterback to decommit from Boise State in this recruiting cycle. Earlier this year, another four-star prospect, Bryson Beaver, decommitted before committing to Oregon.

Over the past four years, Boise State has also seen Hezekiah Millender, now at Georgia, and Katin Houser, now at East Carolina, both commit at one point to the Broncos, but sign their National Letter of Intent somewhere else.

“It’s frustrating, absolutely,” Danielson said. “You pour your heart into recruiting, and for me, I’m a relationship guy. I don’t do anything half-hearted. If I’m recruiting a kid, I’m all in. If you commit to us, you’re going to be a son to me and I don’t take that mantle lightly with these kids. … So when someone is a part of that and decides not to be, it absolutely is hard. It’s hard on my heart because you build a relationship, you love these kids. And I want God’s best for them and I believe that’s right here. But if they don’t, I can’t force them to see that.”

For more stories from the Idaho Press, click here. 

The Milk Can, a trophy celebrating both state’s dairy farmers, is up for grabs as the Broncos look to remain undefeated in conference play against Fresno State.

Posted by KTVB on Wednesday, October 29, 2025