Ben Weaver a Defensive Star for Boise State Broncos in 2014

The Boise State Broncos are looking to start anew in 2014 after Chris Petersen moved on to become the new head coach of the Washington Huskies. Boise State will be trying to get back on top of the Mountain West Conference this fall after they failed to qualify for the conference’s first conference championship game last season. For the Broncos to get back on top, they’ll need strong leadership from budding defensive star Ben Weaver at linebacker.

As a freshman in 2013, Weaver proved himself to be a capable leader, tallying a team-high 89 tackles, with four tackles for loss and a sack. He made an immediate impact for Boise State and stepped into the featured role with ease. Thanks to his leadership and playmaking, Boise State boasted a strong defense, ranked No. 3 in the MWC in total defense and No. 2 in scoring defense. While there are uncertainties about how Boise State will look in 2014, there no doubt that Weaver will be leading the charge on defense.

The Broncos’ defense has the benefit of returning a lot of young talent this fall which should help them to take a major step forward as a group. The challenge for them will be replacing the negative plays of defensive end Demarcus Lawrence, who led the team with 20.5 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks in 2013. Weaver will need to play a bit more downhill this season to create a few more plays behind the line of scrimmage but his steady play in the middle will be a major key for Boise State’s success this season.

If the Broncos are going to contend in the Mountain West, Ben Weaver will be a major component of their success. He showed that he can make an immediate impact last season and should develop into a defensive star for Boise State in 2014.

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