BOISE, Idaho
- Boise State
Football Head Coach Chris Petersen announced
the signing of 19 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent
Wednesday, headlined by 18 highly-accomplished high school seniors and
an All-American junior college transfer.
In addition to landing
three prep standouts from the Gem State, the Broncos’ class also
includes eight high school student-athletes from California, four from
Texas and one each from Washington, Oregon and British Columbia.
The
lone transfer in this year’s class, junior nickel Dextrell Simmons
(Houston, Texas) joins the Broncos from Blinn Junior College, where he
helped lead the Buccaneers to the 2009 National Junior College Athletic
Association Championship.
When broken down by position, the
Broncos signed most of their class in the trenches – adding three along
both the offensive and defensive lines. Boise State added multiple
student-athletes in the defensive backfield (four), at nickel (two) and
at linebacker (two), and also signed one each at quarterback, running
back, wide receiver, tight end and kicker.
The Broncos are coming
off of a 12-1 campaign and finished the season ranked in the top 10 in
both the USA Today Coaches’ Poll (No. 7) and the Associated Press Media
Poll (No. 9). Boise State defeated Utah 26-3 in MAACO Bowl Las Vegas,
the team’s ninth-straight bowl game.
Boise State also completed
an unprecedented run in the Western Athletic Conference, winning a share
of the conference title for the eighth time in the last nine seasons.
Boise State, which will move to the Mountain West Conference in 2011,
went 75-5 (.938) during its 10 seasons in the WAC, including a perfect
40-0 mark at home.
The Broncos are scheduled to open the 2011
season against Georgia (Sept. 3), in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic at
the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. (MT), and
the game will be televised nationally on either ESPN or ABC.
A
complete list of Boise State’s 2011 recruiting class follows, including
brief biographical information on each signee:
Eric Agbaroji - Defensive Back, 6-1,
195, Fr., Midlothian, Texas
(Midlothian HS) Was a
three-time varsity football letter
winner at Midlothian High School in Midlothian, Texas…Named first-team
all-conference as a senior…Also voted honorable mention all-conference
as a junior and second team all-conference as a sophomore…Named to The
Old Coach All-Area First Team and All-State Second Team…Recorded 30
tackles, 12 pass break-ups, three field goal blocks and one interception
in 2010…Tallied 40 tackles in both his sophomore and junior
seasons…Also recorded 13 pass break-ups and one interception as a
junior…Earned two varsity letters in track and field…Won 400-meter
district championship as a sophomore…High school coach was Lee
Wiggington.
Jay Ajayi - Running Back, 6-0, 208,
Fr., Plano, Texas (Frisco Liberty
HS) Named second-team all-state as a senior at Frisco
Liberty High School in Plano, Texas…Earned two varsity letters in
football at Frisco Liberty HS…Voted first-team all-conference as a
junior and senior…Selected to the All-Collin County Team while being
named Collin County Player of the Year…Recorded 225 carries for 2,240
rushing yards and 35 touchdowns as a senior…Also caught seven passes for
67 yards and one score in 2010…As a junior, tallied 209 carries for
1,627 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns…Caught 12 passes for 79 yards as a
junior...Earned one varsity letter in track and field…Member of
4x400-meter, 4x200m and 4x100m district championship teams…Also a member
of The National
Society of High School
Scholars…High school coach was Galen Zimmerman.
Robert Ash - Defensive Lineman, 6-3,
262, Fr., Elk Grove, Calif. (Cosumnes
Oaks HS) Was a two-time first-team all-conference
selection
in football at Cosumnes Oaks High School in Elk Grove, Calif…Named a
varsity team captain as both a junior and senior…Also named second-team
Sac-County in 2010…Finished senior season with 41 tackles - 35 of which
were solo…Also recorded 10 sacks for minus-83 yards, while forcing two
fumbles and blocking one field goal…earned a varsity basketball letter
as a junior…Received the Wolf Pack Award…High school coach was Ryan
Gomes.
Corey Bell -Nickel, 5-11, 200, Fr., Boise, Idaho
(Capital HS) Earned
three varsity football letters at Capital High School in Boise…Voted
first-team all-state as a senior…Named Southern Idaho Conference Player
of the Year in 2010…second-team all-conference as a junior…Played in the
Idaho East-West Shriners All-Star game as a senior…Finished senior
season with 44 tackles, 12 tackles-for-loss, three sacks and three
interceptions - one of which was returned for a touchdown…carried the
football 138 times for 915 yards and 14 touchdowns…Caught 22 passes for
289 yards and 11 touchdowns…As a junior, recorded 50 tackles, nine TFLs,
three interceptions and two forced fumbles…Finished his sophomore
season with 45 tackles, six TFLs, three interceptions and three fumble
recoveries…Also earned one varsity letter in basketball…Earned Academic
All-Conference as a sophomore, junior and senior…High school coach was
Todd Simis.
Dallas
Burroughs -Wide Receiver, 5-9,
170, Fr., Meridian, Idaho
(Rocky Mountain HS) A first-team all-state selection
at
Rocky Mountain High School in Meridian, where he earned three varsity
football letters…Also named first-team All-Southern Idaho Conference as a
senior…Voted second-team all-conference as a junior…Finished senior
season with 75 receptions for 1,358 yard and 14 touchdowns…Also carried
the football 20 times for 304 yards and two scores…Received two varsity
letters in both track and field and baseball…Won the 100-meter state
championship as a junior…High school coach was Jason Warr.
Marcus Henry
-Offensive Lineman, 6-2, 280, Fr., Bellevue,
Wash. (Bellevue HS) A four-year varsity letterwinner at Bellevue High School
in Bellevue, Wash…Named first-team all-state as a senior…Selected Kingco
Conference Lineman of the Year as a senior after being voted first-team
All-Kingco on both offense and defense…Named second-team all-conference
as a junior…Voted preseason all-state as a senior…Helped team to 3A
State Championships in 2009 and 2010…High school coach was Butch
Goncharoff.
Lee Hightower -Defensive
Back, 6-1, 170, Fr., Inglewood, Calif. (Loyola HS) A two-year letterwinner at Loyola
High School in Los
Angeles…Named second-team All-Serra League as a senior…Capped his prep
campaign with 40 tackles, 18 pass break-ups two forced fumbles and an
interception…Garnered Daily News All-Star recognition…Junior season
recorded 50 tackles, 12 pass break-ups and four forced fumbles…Was also a
four-year letterwinner in track and field, finishing as the CIF
runner-up both his sophomore and junior seasons…member of the Honor
Roll, was both a California Scholar and a National Merit Achievement
Scholar…High school football coach was Mike Christensen.
Rees Odhiambo - Offensive Lineman, 6-4,
296, Fr., Mansfield, Texas
(Mansfield Legacy HS) Earned two varsity football
letters at
Mansfield Legacy High School in Mansfield, Texas…Named second-team
all-conference as a senior and honorable mention all-conference as a
junior…Recorded 26 knockdowns and 14 pancakes, while only allowing one
sack as a senior…Tallied 10 knockdowns and four pancakes as a
junior…Also recorded 10 tackles and one tackle-for-loss at nose guard as
a junior…Academic All-District as a junior and senior…Earned one
varsity letter in track and field…Received the Teacher’s Choice
Award…High school coach was Chris Melson.
Jimmy Laughrea - Quarterback, 6-2, 197,
Fr., Rocklin, Calif. (Rocklin HS) A
three-time varsity football letterwinner at Rocklin High School in
Rocklin, Calif…Voted first-team All-Sierra Foothill League as a
senior…Also named first-team all-metro and all-city as a senior…Selected
second-team all-conference as a junior…Completed 60 percent of his
passes for 2,527 yards and 22 touchdown throws as a senior…Also tallied
327 rushing yards and six rushing scores in 2010…As a junior, completed
54.7 percent of his passes for 2,635 passing yards and 22 touchdowns,
while also rushing for six touchdowns…Threw for 1,522 passing yards as a
sophomore…High school coach was Greg Benzel.
Taylor Loffler - Safety, 6-4, 200,
Kelowna, British Columbia (Kelowna
Secondary School) Named the 2010 British Columbia
High
School Most Valuable Player as a senior at Kelowna Secondary School in
Kelowna, British Columbia…A first-team all-conference selection as a
junior and senior…Recorded 88 tackles and four interceptions in his
final prep campaign…Also completed 97-of-165 passes for 1,732 passing
yards, 20 touchdowns and just seven interceptions in 2010…Tallied 814
rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on 86 carries as a senior…Scored two
punt return touchdowns and three kick return touchdowns in final high
school season…As a junior, recorded 67 tackles and three
interceptions…Also completed 62 passes for 879 passing yards and 19
touchdowns to go along with 741 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns on 97
carries in 2009…Grabbed seven interceptions as a sophomore…Also
completed 5-of-12 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown as a backup
quarterback in 2008…Returned one kickoff return for touchdown as a
sophomore…Was a three-year team captain in football…Was also a starter
on the varsity basketball team as a sophomore, junior and senior…High
school coach was Roy Anderson.
Dillon Lukeheart - Linebacker, 6-0, 200, Fr., Eagle, Idaho
(Eagle HS) Earned
three varsity football letters at Eagle High School in Eagle,
Idaho…Named first-team all-state as a running back and defensive back in
2010…Voted Southern Idaho Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a
senior…Also named first-team all-conference on defense as a
senior…Selected second-team All-SIC as a junior…Finished senior season
with 1,824 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns, while also recording 106
tackles on defense…As a junior, tallied 1,049 rushing yards and 20
touchdowns…Scored four touchdowns and rushed for 428 yards as a
sophomore…Earned two varsity letters in track and field and one in
basketball…Named Eagle HS Athlete of the Year…Member of National Honor
Society…High school coach was Paul Peterson.
Hayden Plinke -
Tight End, 6-4,
230, Fr., Hillsboro, Ore. (Glencoe HS) An
honorable mention all-state performer as a senior at Glencoe High School
in Hillsboro, Ore…Also named first-team all-conference as a senior and
second-team all-conference as a junior…Earned two varsity letters in
football at Glencoe HS…Rushed for 251 yards to average 11.5 per-carry as
a senior…Also caught 31 passes for 457 receiving yards in 2010…Scored
five touchdowns as a senior…Recorded five touchdowns as a junior,
including a three-touchdown performance in one game…Tallied eight sacks
at defensive end as a junior…Received three varsity letters in track and
field and one in basketball…Won the state javelin title as a
junior…Voted Student Body President…High school coach was Tim Duvall.
Blake Renaud - Linebacker, 6-2, 235,
Fr., Concord, Calif. (De La Salle HS) A
three-year varsity letterwinner in football at De La Salle High School
in Concord, Calif….Voted first-team All-East Bay Athletic League as a
junior and senior at linebacker…Named second-team all-league as a
sophomore...Was a team captain during senior season…Named to the Cal-Hi
Section Sports All-State Seniors First Team in 2011…Also named
first-team All-Metro by the San Francisco Chronicle…Selected to the
ESPNU 150 Class of 2011 Watch List…Voted ESPN Cal-Hi Sports All-State
First Team in 2010…In 2009 named Max Preps Junior Class All-American
Second Team…Voted East Bay Defensive Player of the Year by the Contra
Costa Times in 2009…As a junior named first-team All-EBAL and first-team
All-Bay Area by the San Francisco Chronicle…Selected Cal-Hi Sports
All-State Sophomore Team in 2008…High school coach was Bob Ladouceur.
Adam Sheffield - Offensive Lineman, 6-4,
300, Fr., San Jose, Calif.
(Branham HS) Earned three varsity letters in football
and
two in basketball at Branham High School in San Jose, Calif…Named
first-team all-state as a senior…Selected first-team all-conference as a
senior and second-team all-conference as a junior…Named first-team
all-state by Cal-Hi Sports and first-team All-NorCal by California
Golden Preps as a senior…Also named first-team California Central Coast
Section by NorCal Preps…Selected as a team captain as a senior…High school coach was Justin Halas.
Dextrell Simmons - Nickel, 5-10, 205, Jr.,
Houston, Texas (Blinn JC) Transfers
to Boise State after two standout seasons playing linebacker at Blinn
Junior College in Brenham, Texas…Member of Blinn JC team that won the
2009 National Junior College Athletic Association Championship…Recorded
57 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss, two sacks, one forced fumble and one
fumble recovery as a sophomore…Finished freshman season with three sacks
and two interceptions, including one interception return for touchdown,
in limited action…Voted first-team all-conference and honorable mention
NJCAA All-America as a sophomore…Was a defensive captain for the
Buccaneers…Member of Blinn Leadership Council for two years…Helped lead
Blinn JC to a No. 10 national ranking to end 2010…Junior college head
coach was Brad Franchione.
Darian Thompson - Defensive Back, 6-1, 180, Fr., Lancaster,
Calif.
(Paraclete HS) Comes to Boise State following a
standout
senior season at Paraclete High School in Lancaster, Calif…Named All-CIF
and All-Valley Defensive Most Valuable Player in 2010...Also voted
All-CIF, all-valley and all-league at defensive back as a
senior…Finished 2010 with 74 tackles (35 solo), seven interceptions,
eight knockdowns and two interception returns for touchdown…Also caught
52 passes for 953 yards and 13 touchdowns at wide receiver, all school
single-season records…Returned seven punts for 179 yards and five
kickoffs for 94 yards…Finished junior season with 40 tackles, four
interceptions and four pass deflections, garnering second-team
all-league accolades…Also caught 12 passes for 205 yards as a
junior…Recorded 38 tackles, four pass break-ups and one interception as a
sophomore…Earned two varsity letters for baseball…High school coach was
Norm Dahlia.
Samuel
Ukwuachu - Defensive
End, 6-5, 210, Fr., Pearland, Texas (Pearland
High School) A three-year varsity letterwinner in
football
at Pearland High School in Pearland, Texas…Team won the Texas 5A
Division I State Championship in 2010…Was voted second-team all-state as
a junior and senior…Also named first-team all-conference as a junior
and senior…Received the team’s defensive most valuable player award
following his senior season…Selected second-team all-conference as a
sophomore…Tabbed as a first-team all-district honoree on defense and
second-team all-district on offense…Finished senior season with 70
tackles and 10 sacks…Also caught 16 passes for 328 yards and five
touchdowns…Recorded 34 tackles, four sacks and one interception as a
junior…caught five passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns as a
junior…High school coach was Tony Heath.
Jake Van Ginkel - Place Kicker, 6-0, 175,
Fr., Upland, Calif. (Upland HS) Enjoyed
an illustrious career as place kicker at Upland High School in Upland,
Calif., where he set the California high school state record for career
field goals (39)...Named first-team All-Baseline League as a senior…Also
named MaxPreps All-America in 2010…Selected first-team all-state by
MaxPreps, Golden State Preps and Cal-Hi Sports as a junior…Also picked
to the 2009 ESPN Junior All-America Team…Named first-team sophomore
all-state by Golden State Preps and Cal-Hi Sports, as well as sophomore
All-America by EA Sports/ESPN in 2008…Scored 87 points on 14 field goals
and 45 successful point after tries as a senior…Also recorded 47
touchbacks in 2010…Scored 88 points on 16 field goals and 40 PATs as a
junior…Recorded 48 touchbacks as a junior…Converted 63 PATs and nine
field goals for 90 points as a sophomore…Also recorded 54 touchbacks in
2008…As a freshman, connected on three field goals of more than 50
yards, with a long of 58 yards…High school coach was Tim Salter. Jeffrey Worthy - Defensive Tackle, 6-4, 285, Fr., La
Mirada, Calif.
(Whittier Christian HS; La Habra, Calif.) A four-year
varsity letterwinner in football at Whittier Christian High School in La
Habra, Calif…Named team captain during senior season…Selected
first-team all-state as a junior and senior…Also voted first-team
all-conference as a junior and senior…Finished 2010 season with 79
tackles, 10 sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries…Team
finished runner-up for the CIF Southern Section / Division 10
Championship in 2010…Recorded 137 tackles, 19 sacks, four forced fumbles
and two fumble recoveries as a junior…Received two varsity letters for
basketball…High school coach was Sergio Gradilla.
2010
GREYSHIRTS
Tyler Horn, Defensive End,
6-4, 255, Fr., Meridian, Idaho (Mountain View HS) Signed
with Boise State in February, 2010, and greyshirted last season…Received
first-team all-state and all-conference honors on defense as a senior
at Mountain View High School in Meridian, Idaho…Also named honorable
mention all-state and all-conference as a junior…As a senior, recorded
50 tackles, 14 sacks, five forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and
three pass deflections…Also recorded more than 100 yards on
tackles-for-loss as a senior…Tallied 45 tackles and 11 sacks as a
junior…Named Conference Defensive Player of the Year…Awarded the Idaho
Lineman Challenge MVP…Boise State football camp defensive line MVP in
2009…Also earned varsity letters in track and field (three) and
basketball (one)…High school coach was Judd Benedick.
Holden
Huff, Tight End, 6-6, 205, Fr., Rocklin, Calif. (Rocklin HS) Signed
with Boise State in February, 2010, and greyshirted last season…Honored
as a first-team all-conference and all-section tight end as a senior at
Rocklin High School in Rocklin, Calif…Named 2009 Conference Playmaker
of the Year…Also named first-team all-conference wide receiver as a
junior, and 2008 Conference Special Teams Player of the Year…Holds
several Rocklin HS records, including single-season receiving yards
(989), career receiving yards (1,664), single-season touchdown
receptions (10) and career touchdown receptions (16)…Helped lead Rocklin
HS to a Sierra Football League Championship, as well as a Sac-Joaquin
Section title…Also lettered in track and field…High jumped 6-2 and threw
the shot put 47-0…High school coach was Greg Benzel.
Troy
Ware, Wide Receiver, 6-2, 185, Fr., Oceanside, Calif. (Vista HS) Signed
with Boise State in February, 2010, and greyshirted last
season…Received second-team all-state honors as a senior wide receiver
at Vista High School in Vista, Calif…Voted first-team All-Palomar League
as a senior, as well as second-team all-league his junior senior…As a
senior, recorded 45 receptions for 699 yards and eight touchdowns…Caught
26 passes for 482 yards and four scores in his junior season…As a
sophomore, grabbed seven catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns…Named
All-North County…Honored on the All-Academic Team as a junior and
senior…Earned varsity letters in track and field three times…Was an
all-league performer in the long jump as a sophomore and junior…Named to
the Vista HS Honor Roll as a junior and senior…High school coach was
Dan Williams.
Recruiting Roundup Programming
Catch our coverage of the Recruiting Roundup on The Mtn. premiering this
Thursday, February 3.