Will Boise State’s Ty Benefield play two ways? Here’s what he had to say

Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman

BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — Boise State junior safety Ty Benefield recently learned he wouldn’t want to try to cover himself.

“This dude’s got some juice,” Benefield said this week when asked to describe what a defensive back might think on the other side of the line of scrimmage.

“He can give a little bit.”

Those thoughts aren’t just coming from his imagination. Benefield, expected to be one of the leaders on defense in 2025, has spent the past few spring practices playing wide receiver.

Head coach Spencer Danielson called Benefield last Sunday, initially praising him on a good couple of weeks at practice. But then, near the end of the call, Danielson asked the golden question: “Do you want to play receiver?”

Of course, Benefield jumped at the chance. He played wide receiver in high school, and although he’s always considered himself a defensive player, the opportunity to play on the other side of the ball was something he couldn’t say no to.

But will this be a permanent thing or just a fun experiment in the spring while the Broncos are simultaneously short on healthy receivers?

Boise State’s wide receiver room is struggling with a lack of experience and injuries. Receivers coach Matt Miller said earlier this week that the team plans to bring in a “mature” receiver from the transfer portal.

“If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, I’ll take my butt back to the defense and play straight that way,” Benefield said. “So yeah, we’ll see. I’d really like to (do it), yeah.”

Benefield played both ways in high school in Irvine, California. During his senior season, he had 90 receptions for 1,404 yards and 20 touchdowns, averaging 117 yards per game.

Danielson said Benefield had a big catch as a receiver at practice last Thursday, and they will “keep going through it.”

Unsurprisingly, it’s an entirely different game going from a high school offense to a college-level one. The experiment has allowed Benefield to gain a “new respect” for the Broncos’ receiving corps, because he’s realized it’s not easy to read defenses on the fly.

On the other hand, Benefield also believes his experience as a defensive back allows him to recognize coverages more quickly.

“Recognizing if it’s man or zone, because that changes a lot. … There is no easy job in football. I just got to see more of it now,” Benefield said. “Just recognizing defenses, knowing how to attack dudes, and it’s really helpful.”

Miller isn’t against the notion of Benefield helping out on offense. He pointed out that Boise State has always been willing to experiment, such as with Avery Williams playing cornerback and running back, or Scott Matlock playing fullback and defensive end. Notably, both players have carved out careers in the NFL and are still active.

“We’re going to put the best 11 on the field whenever we can to go be successful,” Miller said. “And that’s what’s fun for us, and it’s fun for our guys too.”

The million-dollar question? Is Benefield actually playing well as a wide receiver?

“Not bad. Like my Uncle Billy would say: ‘Probably not good. You need to keep going and really do it,’” Benefield said. “So I’m just trying my hardest. I just want to help the team out as much as possible. But yeah, I’m trying out there, that’s for sure.”