BOISE — Winston Venable fits perfectly into the blue-collar work ethic of the Boise State football team, but doesn’t share the rest of his teammates’ near obsession with video games.

“I like to relax in other ways, like watching movies and just hanging out with friends,” Venable said. “I’m pretty low key.”

That is until he suits up for a game.

Venable, a junior college transfer in his senior season, plays the nickel position, which is part-time linebacker and part-time safety. And at any given moment, he can bring the heat on opposing ball carriers, particularly quarterbacks.

In last season’s game against Fresno State, Venable developed a small cult following for his impressive hit on Bulldog quarterback Ryan Colburn that was reminiscent of Adam Sandler’s character in the movie “Water Boy.”

“Playing the nickel is great because of the freedom it gives you,” Venable said. “We always are lining up on the wide side of the field and that just gives you a lot of opportunities to make big plays.”

In the 2010 Fiesta Bowl, it was Venable’s big play that sealed the victory for the Broncos — an interception of TCU quarterback Andy Dalton with 28 seconds left in the game.

While Boise State’s offense usually finds itself in the spotlight, its defense has quietly risen to the upper echelon of college football. And the hard-hitting, yet soft-spoken, Venable doesn’t mind yielding center stage.

“When we look at our opponents and know they have a high-scoring offensive unit, you have to be careful on defense and I think we rise to the occasion defensively,” Venable said. “I know our offense gets all the media attention, but we know we have a good defense — and we’re confident in our abilities.”

Venable’s abilities on the football field might come as a shock to some people, considering he comes from a baseball family. But this is the versatile Venables.

Venable’s father, Max, spent 12 years in the major leagues with the Giants, Angels, Reds and Expos. But that wasn’t the only sport he played. In high school, Max starred on his football team that went undefeated for three straight seasons.

“Everybody wonders why I’m not a baseball player, but my dad has some football skills,” Venable said. “He was pretty good as a linebacker and running back on a pretty good team.”

Then there’s Venable’s brother, Will, who currently plays in the outfield for the San Diego Padres.

Will was so versatile that he attended Princeton on a basketball scholarship and didn’t even play baseball his freshman year.

Growing up in an atmosphere of athletic excellence has helped push Venable to excel on the gridiron.

“Growing up in a family like ours, I got to watch how my brother has done things and how my dad did things,” Venable said. “The expectations are high in a family like ours. We have athletic blood in our bodies and it’s what we like to do. It’s definitely helped me grow.”

Having a father with such a long career in professional sports means Venable gets valuable advice.

“The biggest advice that my dad has given me is just staying positive and adjusting to any type of situation,” Venable said. “He’s always talking about adjustments and I think that will stick with me — that and working hard is also something he has stressed is very important. And I’ve taken those things to heart.”

Venable’s ability to process and absorb that kind of instruction just might be why he exemplifies the heart and soul of the Boise State defense.