Boise State's receiving corps is as deep as it has ever been with talent, speed and size galore. The Broncos are blessed to return two starters, including a Freshman All-American.
Matt Miller (6-3, 215) started eight games for the Blue & Orange, setting single-season freshman records in receptions (62), receiving yards (679) and touchdowns (nine). Miller was named to the FWAA Freshman All-America Team and Yahoo Sports placed him on their Second Team.
A year after debuting for Boise State, Matt Miller's challenge will be to continue to improve now that everyone in the free world knows who he is. He might have slipped under the radar for part of his record-breaking freshman year, but he won't be so lucky anymore. With his speed, size, moves, great hands and the ability to make circus catches, Miller has the chance to be the best receiver ever to play at the school. With a new quarterback this fall, Miller will be counted on to get open and make the plays the team needs to move the chains.
After a great spring and summer, Kirby Moore (6-3, 203, Jr.) has continued the momentum into Fall Camp, and likely will start this fall at the "H" receiver position. He started three games last year and set career highs with 22 receptions and 247 yards, with one score. Moore's redshirt season of 2010 clearly helped him develop and mature. Kirby played as a true freshman, starting in the final two games. He finished the year with 21 receptions for 242 yards and two touchdowns.
But those numbers are minuscule with what Kirby is capable of, when he earned All-State honors at Prosser High School in Washington in both his junior and senior years. Moore hauled in 131 receptions for 2,126 yards and 34 touchdowns as a senior, and grabbed 75 passes for 1,350 yards and 29 touchdowns as a junior. Moore also had 37 catches for 645 yards and 14 scores as a freshman and 61 catches for 788 yards and 18 TD's as a sophomore. In other words, video game numbers.
It didn't hurt that a certain brother of his, Kellen Moore, was the one throwing him passes at Prosser. With Kellen's graduation, Kirby will need to step up his game and show that he can accomplish at the collegiate level what he did in high school. No one expects numbers like the ones above against the elite competition that Boise State will be facing this year and next. But Moore will be counted on to take the pressure off of sophomore phenom Miller, who will likely draw double coverage often this fall. The ability and consistency of Moore to do that will have a direct influence on how often defenses can do that.
Mitch Burroughs (5-9, 193, Sr.) returns as Boise State's starting "Z" receiver, where he started seven games last season. Mitch was third on the team with 49 receptions and 500 receiving yards and he carried the ball 17 times for 94 yards and two scores. Burroughs also was eighth in the nation in punt returns with a 13.3 average and returned five kickofffs for a 22.8 average. Offensive coordinator Robert Prince's task is to get Mitch the ball more this fall--good things happen.
As a sophomore, Burroughs appeared in eight games with one start. He caught six passes for 59 yards and returned eight punts for a superb 15.9 average. Mitch played in all 13 games as a freshman in 2009 with one start. He finished the year with nine catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.
Which brings us to freshman Shane Williams-Rhodes. If opponents can see Shane (5-6, 164), they'll note how quick he is. If they can't see him, that would be him sprinting to the end zone carrying a pigskin. Williams-Rhodes will not start (at least right away) and he may not be a big factor immediately, but Shane will make an impact eventually this season. Figuring out how to utilize Rhodes will be one of the many things that Prince and head coach Chris Petersen are working on.
Williams-Rhodes was first team all-district at both wide receiver and returner at Klein Collins High School in Texas. He caught 67 passes last year for 1,057 yards and 11 touchdowns and also rushed 53 times for 327 yards and eight more scores.
Another of the brightest prospects in Broncoland is receiver Troy Ware (6-2, 195). Ware signed with Boise State in 2010 and grayshirted that fall, then redshirted last season. In high school, Ware was a second-team all-state selection after catching 45 passes for 699 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior. Ware has enjoyed a super Fall Camp and will be a key factor this fall.
Chris Potter is a multi-talented individual whom the Broncos will work to get more involved in the offense. Potter made his first career start last year and finished the season with 11 catches for 105 yards. Potter ranked #21 in the country in punt returns with an average of 10.50 as Boise State went 1-2 in that category in the Mountain West (teammate Mitch Burroughs led the league.)
Potter played in 12 games as a freshman, with eight receptions for 60 yards and 10 punt returns for a 12.9 average. Potter was named to the WAC All-Academic Team in 2009. The following year, Potter caught eight passes for 125 yards and a touchdown, rushed six times for 33 yards, completed 1-of-2 passes for 26 yards and ranked 13th in the country in punt returns with a 13.32 yards per return that included a touchdown.
Geraldo Boldewijn (6-4, 214, Jr.) will begin the season with a four-game suspension, in a not-so-bright moment for both he and his former host family in which Boldewijn allowed the latter to pay for a plane ticket home from the Las Vegas Bowl. He had a similar situation last year, in which he missed four games. Boldewijn started three and finished the season with 19 catches for 266 yards and two touchdowns. Geraldo made his first career start as a freshman at Idaho and finished 2010 with 11 receptions for 160 yards.
Dallas Burroughs (5-8, 173, So.) brings the one thing that even the Bronco coaches can't teach--speed; he was the Idaho 100-meter champion in high school. Dallas played on all 13 games as a true freshman last year, and is ready to take his game to the next level. Burroughs caught nine passes for 175 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown against TCU, rushed six times for six yards and returned eight kickoffs for a 17.3 average.
Aaron Burks is the enigma of the Boise State receiving corps. Physically gifted (6-3, 200, Jr.), Burks has not started a game and has caught 12 career passes for 115 yards. But he possesses great height and speed. It's now or never for Aaron.
Tyler Jackson (6-1, 195, Sr.) played as a reserve safety his freshman year in 2009 before making the switch to offense. Tyler was named to the WAC All-Academic Team in 2010. Jackson caught his first career pass last season against Colorado State for 10 yards. In high school, Jackson won the Denver Post Gold Helmet Award, presented annually to Colorado's top senior football player, scholar and citizen.
Timberline High School's Jackson Reed (6-4, 212) will redshirt this fall as he learns the Bronco Way and what is expected of him. Reed was All-SIC at wide receiver last year and proved his athletic ability as he was also a second-team all-conference punter, a second-team all-state basketball player and a letterwinner in track.
Taylor Pope (6-0, 163) is another freshman added to the Boise State roster. Pope earned all-conference honors his last two seasons at La Quinta High School in California.
Top to bottom, this is as talented a receiving corps as you will find in the nation, and they represent one of the strongest position areas on the Boise State team.
Matt Miller (6-3, 215) started eight games for the Blue & Orange, setting single-season freshman records in receptions (62), receiving yards (679) and touchdowns (nine). Miller was named to the FWAA Freshman All-America Team and Yahoo Sports placed him on their Second Team.
A year after debuting for Boise State, Matt Miller's challenge will be to continue to improve now that everyone in the free world knows who he is. He might have slipped under the radar for part of his record-breaking freshman year, but he won't be so lucky anymore. With his speed, size, moves, great hands and the ability to make circus catches, Miller has the chance to be the best receiver ever to play at the school. With a new quarterback this fall, Miller will be counted on to get open and make the plays the team needs to move the chains.
After a great spring and summer, Kirby Moore (6-3, 203, Jr.) has continued the momentum into Fall Camp, and likely will start this fall at the "H" receiver position. He started three games last year and set career highs with 22 receptions and 247 yards, with one score. Moore's redshirt season of 2010 clearly helped him develop and mature. Kirby played as a true freshman, starting in the final two games. He finished the year with 21 receptions for 242 yards and two touchdowns.
But those numbers are minuscule with what Kirby is capable of, when he earned All-State honors at Prosser High School in Washington in both his junior and senior years. Moore hauled in 131 receptions for 2,126 yards and 34 touchdowns as a senior, and grabbed 75 passes for 1,350 yards and 29 touchdowns as a junior. Moore also had 37 catches for 645 yards and 14 scores as a freshman and 61 catches for 788 yards and 18 TD's as a sophomore. In other words, video game numbers.
It didn't hurt that a certain brother of his, Kellen Moore, was the one throwing him passes at Prosser. With Kellen's graduation, Kirby will need to step up his game and show that he can accomplish at the collegiate level what he did in high school. No one expects numbers like the ones above against the elite competition that Boise State will be facing this year and next. But Moore will be counted on to take the pressure off of sophomore phenom Miller, who will likely draw double coverage often this fall. The ability and consistency of Moore to do that will have a direct influence on how often defenses can do that.
Mitch Burroughs (5-9, 193, Sr.) returns as Boise State's starting "Z" receiver, where he started seven games last season. Mitch was third on the team with 49 receptions and 500 receiving yards and he carried the ball 17 times for 94 yards and two scores. Burroughs also was eighth in the nation in punt returns with a 13.3 average and returned five kickofffs for a 22.8 average. Offensive coordinator Robert Prince's task is to get Mitch the ball more this fall--good things happen.
As a sophomore, Burroughs appeared in eight games with one start. He caught six passes for 59 yards and returned eight punts for a superb 15.9 average. Mitch played in all 13 games as a freshman in 2009 with one start. He finished the year with nine catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.
Which brings us to freshman Shane Williams-Rhodes. If opponents can see Shane (5-6, 164), they'll note how quick he is. If they can't see him, that would be him sprinting to the end zone carrying a pigskin. Williams-Rhodes will not start (at least right away) and he may not be a big factor immediately, but Shane will make an impact eventually this season. Figuring out how to utilize Rhodes will be one of the many things that Prince and head coach Chris Petersen are working on.
Williams-Rhodes was first team all-district at both wide receiver and returner at Klein Collins High School in Texas. He caught 67 passes last year for 1,057 yards and 11 touchdowns and also rushed 53 times for 327 yards and eight more scores.
Another of the brightest prospects in Broncoland is receiver Troy Ware (6-2, 195). Ware signed with Boise State in 2010 and grayshirted that fall, then redshirted last season. In high school, Ware was a second-team all-state selection after catching 45 passes for 699 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior. Ware has enjoyed a super Fall Camp and will be a key factor this fall.
Chris Potter is a multi-talented individual whom the Broncos will work to get more involved in the offense. Potter made his first career start last year and finished the season with 11 catches for 105 yards. Potter ranked #21 in the country in punt returns with an average of 10.50 as Boise State went 1-2 in that category in the Mountain West (teammate Mitch Burroughs led the league.)
Potter played in 12 games as a freshman, with eight receptions for 60 yards and 10 punt returns for a 12.9 average. Potter was named to the WAC All-Academic Team in 2009. The following year, Potter caught eight passes for 125 yards and a touchdown, rushed six times for 33 yards, completed 1-of-2 passes for 26 yards and ranked 13th in the country in punt returns with a 13.32 yards per return that included a touchdown.
Geraldo Boldewijn (6-4, 214, Jr.) will begin the season with a four-game suspension, in a not-so-bright moment for both he and his former host family in which Boldewijn allowed the latter to pay for a plane ticket home from the Las Vegas Bowl. He had a similar situation last year, in which he missed four games. Boldewijn started three and finished the season with 19 catches for 266 yards and two touchdowns. Geraldo made his first career start as a freshman at Idaho and finished 2010 with 11 receptions for 160 yards.
Dallas Burroughs (5-8, 173, So.) brings the one thing that even the Bronco coaches can't teach--speed; he was the Idaho 100-meter champion in high school. Dallas played on all 13 games as a true freshman last year, and is ready to take his game to the next level. Burroughs caught nine passes for 175 yards, including a 53-yard touchdown against TCU, rushed six times for six yards and returned eight kickoffs for a 17.3 average.
Aaron Burks is the enigma of the Boise State receiving corps. Physically gifted (6-3, 200, Jr.), Burks has not started a game and has caught 12 career passes for 115 yards. But he possesses great height and speed. It's now or never for Aaron.
Tyler Jackson (6-1, 195, Sr.) played as a reserve safety his freshman year in 2009 before making the switch to offense. Tyler was named to the WAC All-Academic Team in 2010. Jackson caught his first career pass last season against Colorado State for 10 yards. In high school, Jackson won the Denver Post Gold Helmet Award, presented annually to Colorado's top senior football player, scholar and citizen.
Timberline High School's Jackson Reed (6-4, 212) will redshirt this fall as he learns the Bronco Way and what is expected of him. Reed was All-SIC at wide receiver last year and proved his athletic ability as he was also a second-team all-conference punter, a second-team all-state basketball player and a letterwinner in track.
Taylor Pope (6-0, 163) is another freshman added to the Boise State roster. Pope earned all-conference honors his last two seasons at La Quinta High School in California.
Top to bottom, this is as talented a receiving corps as you will find in the nation, and they represent one of the strongest position areas on the Boise State team.
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