Say Hello to The 2011 Boise State Bronco Recruiting Class

It is official! 19 players have signed their letters of intent and will play on The Blue. There was only one surprise sign-ee in unknown Lee Hightower. It looks like he will be coming in as a cornerback recruit, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see the coaches trying him at wide receiver. Hightower is a track star with an amazing leap (how does 22' 10.00 on the long jump sound?) Without further ado, here they are!

   High school seniors

QB Jimmy Laughrea, 6-2, 185, Rocklin (Calif.) HS

DE Sam Ukwuachu, 6-5, 203, Pearland (Texas) HS

WR Dallas Burroughs, 5-8, 165, Rocky Mountain HS (Meridian)

DT Jeff Worthy, 6-4, 280, Whittier Christian HS (La Mirada, Calif.)

DL Robert Ash, 6-3, 255, Cosumnes Oaks HS (Elk Grove, Calif.)

S Taylor Loffler, 6-3, 195, Kelowna (B.C.) Secondary

OL Rees Odhiambo, 6-3, 298, Mansfield (Texas) Legacy HS

RB Jay Ajayi, 6-0, 200, Liberty HS (Frisco, Texas)

LB Blake Renaud, 6-2, 230, De La Salle HS (Concord, Calif.)

OG Marcus Henry, 6-3, 275, Bellevue (Wash.) HS

CB Eric Agbaroji, 6-1, 180, Midlothian (Texas) HS

S Corey Bell, 5-11, 200, Capital HS (Boise, ID)

DB Darian Thompson, 6-2, 172, Paraclete HS (Lancaster, Calif.)

TE Hayden Plinke, 6-4, 230, Glencoe HS (Hillsboro, Ore.)

K Jake Van Ginkel, 5-11, 185, Upland (Calif.) High

LB Dillon Lukehart, 6-1, 200, Eagle HS (Boise, ID)

OL Adam Sheffield, 6-5, 300, Branham HS (San Jose, Calif.)

CB Lee Hightower, 6-1, 170, Loyola (Los Angeles, Calif.) HS

 Junior college transfers

S/LB Dextrell Simmons*, 6-0, 210, Blinn College (Spring, Texas)

It will be interesting to see what happens with Hightower. I figured the coaches would be looking for a cornerback after they were unable to secure McClure or Maston. There is a lot of talent here and some of them should be able to contribute early in their careers. Go Broncos!

Jimmy Laughrea signs LOI

Number one is in the books. Rocklin High School quarterback Jimmy Laughrea has signed his letter of intent to play for Boise State. Welcome to the fold young man.

 

http://www.news10.net/sports/story.aspx?storyid=120926&catid=3

It's National Letter of Intent Day Y'all!

HAPPY LOI DAY EVERYONE!

 

You all know what that means! It’s time to see who sticks with their commitment to play for the Broncos! As of right now, there are 18 athletes who have committed to and not backed out of playing at Boise State (I’m looking at you, KT Tu’umalo, Matt Goudis, Donnie Duncan, Dallas Whitaker, and especially Jamie Byrd). This is a very exciting time of the off season and this class looks to be very talented.

 

There have not been any faxes sent to the Boise State athletic office yet, but keep checking in as I will update the blog whenever a recruit sends one in. Stay tuned!

Short, but Awesome

Citizen McClure

Scene:

Vista, California. Stefan McClure stands behind a microphone, ready to raise his voice to the heavens and announce which school and therefore which football program will be graced with his presence and immense talent. As the moment of truth nears, McClure reflects on everything he has been through to get to this point...

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"At the ripe age of 5...months, my father would toss me a Nerf football as I laid in my crib. I had never felt something come to me so naturally as did my skills at catching the ball. The sport was in my blood."

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"While playing Pop Warner football, I was the quarterback. Why? Because at that age the best athlete is the quarterback. I was the best athlete, so naturally I played quarterback. Watch me juke the jock-strap off of this 6-year-old!" (Takes off and humiliates 6-year-old.)

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"Growing up in Vista has been great for me. I get to show everyone how awesome at football I am. There are so many people around here to see me. Maybe I should think about what college I will go to. After all, there will be so many of them that will offer me a scholarship!"

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"Holy crap! I'm back-peddling faster than this fool can run! Damn I'm good at football!"
(Snatches an interception from the arms of a would-be receiver and races down the sideline for a touchdown.)

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One year later...

(Continues intercepting passes from far inferior receivers and quarterbacks and racing down sidelines for touchdowns.)

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(Reads recruiting ranking on rivals.com.)
"Oh man! Only four stars! I got jipped!"

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"I was right. There are a lot of colleges that want me to come play for them. There have been hundreds of coaches in my living room, pleading for me to join their team. There would have been more, but I got screwed out of my fifth star by those recruiting rankings! Haters..."

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"Alright! At the US Army All-American Bowl!"
(Snatches an interception and races down the sideline for an almost touchdown.)
"Damn! We still lost!"

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(Visits schools that are recruiting him. On trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan, his left eyelid freezes shut.)
"Holy crap it's cold here! -5 degrees and snow flurries just aren't for me! Sorry Brady Hoke!"
(Bolts for airport as soon as he can, scratching Michigan off of list while in transit.)

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"I need to make a decision. My self-serving press conference/announcement is tomorrow morning. I didn't get a normal 'in-home' visit with Cal coaches. Heck, I didn't even take an official visit to Berkeley. That Coach Petersen from Boise State is the nicest guy I have ever met, but just being on campus at Cal, getting that feel in my heart where I know that could be the place, that's mainly why I feel that it is the place for me. I feel like I can go help contribute to what they're doing the next couple years. I would really like to get a really expensive California education for free! Who cares that I could start as a true freshman at Boise State, play in BCS Bowl Games, and get a great education at the same time. What about UCLA? Rick Neuheisel is kinda' creepy up there (shutters). It's settled then. To Berkeley I go. Besides, I like hemp-smoking hippies who live in trees!"

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(Mind snaps back to the present, the microphone is ready.)
"I'm going to be a California Golden Bear! I have something to offer and that was one of the main reasons I picked them. Plus, you can't pass up the education. It's really the depth chart, the schooling, it's a good conference with tough games every week and it's far away from home, but still close enough that my parents will be able to make some home games."

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(Snatches an interception from the arms of a would-be Oregon receiver and races down the sideline for a touchdown.)

"Too bad our offense sucks."

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The not-so-distant future...
(McClure and the rest of the Golden Bears finish yet another 5-7 season in the most underwhelming, underachieving fashion.)
"Hey, at least we almost beat Oregon..."
(Goes home and watches Boise State beat Texas in the 2013 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.)

Stefan McClure Chooses Cal, Decides Winning isn't That Much Fun

Four-Star cornerback Stefan McClure (Vista, CA/Vista High School) has decided that he will take his talents to Berkeley and play for Jeff Tedford and the Golden Bears. He had narrowed his choices down to Cal, UCLA, and Boise State. You all may remember McClure from the Under Armour All-American game two weeks ago where he intercepted a pass and took it deep into East territory. It was a play that had Bronco fans everywhere salivating in the most covetous and hopeful way. Yet it wasn't meant to be.

I'm actually surprised that he didn't pick UCLA. It was reported that McClure had been in almost constant contact with Bruin coach Rick Neuheisel. But the school up North stole him away from the under-achieving graps of "that other team in Los Angeles." It is a great pick up for Cal. McClure will join an already loaded defense that looks to return to Pac-12 title contention (remember, they were the only team to take it to Oregon during the regular season).

Now where does this leave Boise State? It is certain that Coach Pete and his staff will be working overtime to try and get a cornerback. Bakersfield High School product Mercy Maston has to be number one on their list. If that doesn't work out, Rahmel Dockery is still around, along with Justice Sarcedo. However, if Maston doesn't work out, don't be surprised if they go away from that position and pick up local product (and middle linebacker) Cody McCarthy from Bishop Kelly High School.

Let's sit on the edges of our seats in anticipation of what the Bronco coaching staff will come up with. Who knows, there may be a surprise recruit from out of nowhere that joins the team.