Boise State Broncos fans who will attend the 2023 LA Bowl know who is replacing Taylen Green at quarterback for the upcoming game. CJ Tiller is being handed the reins versus UCLA, head coach Spencer Danielson confirmed during the bowl’s game press conference Friday.
Tiller officially becomes the third different starter behind center this season for the Mountain West Conference champs.
Why Boise State Opted for CJ Tiller Against UCLA
Tiller will be a true freshman getting this rare opportunity: His first collegiate start is in a bowl game.
However, Danielson saw poise and confidence in the untested passer — instilling his belief Tiller is prepared for what the Bruins would throw at him.
“He’s earned it,” Danielson began. “He’s done a great job the last couple of weeks in practice. He’s not going to be perfect, but he doesn’t need to be.”
Tiller will be stepping in to replace two dual-threat passers as Green and Maddux Madsen were known to attack defenses with their legs. Will this mean a more scaled-back version of the Boise State offense that plans not to overwhelm the freshman?
“Our offensive staff is putting a great game plan together. But we’ve got to keep him in good situations, too,” Danielson said. “We know the defense we’re going to be playing are well-coached, very talented, but we’ve got to put CJ in the right spots. And he’s got some really good pieces around him.”
Was Tiller Close to Not Attending Boise State?
Tiller was labeled a pro-style quarterback at the prep level as he suited up for Rancho Cucamonga High in California’s Inland Empire.
Then at 6’2″and 190 pounds, Tiller established himself as one of the area’s biggest pocket threats. Most of his damage was done when he was sandwiched inside the pass protection. He showed a strong sense of calm, followed by impressive accuracy. At Rancho Cucamonga, he went against his share of some of the area’s and state’s best, as RCHS annually plays one of the toughest schedules in Southern California.
Tiller was a Power Five Conference target as California and Washington State tried to pilfer him on the recruiting trail. He chose Boise State on March 18, 2022, thanks to creating a strong rapport with offensive coordinator Tim Plough.
Plough, though, got fired and was eventually named the tight ends coach at Cal. With Plough in place at Berkeley, there was the fear from the blue turf that a late push by the Golden Bears to flip him became imminent.
BSU, however, managed to prevent him from being swayed elsewhere and signed his National Letter of Intent for the 2023 class. Now, Tiller doesn’t have to wait any longer for his crack at leading the Broncos — as he’s the guy leading the offense inside SoFi Stadium on Saturday.
“He’s done a great job controlling what he can control,” Danielson said. “He’s done a great job prepping. We talk all the time about earning the confidence to play well. And he’s earned that every day in practice.”