Boise State Football: What Could Wide Receiver Injuries Mean For The Broncos?
Boise State might have lost its top receiver from 2022, but there are still plenty of options at their disposal.
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A bad break for the preseason favorites, but it’s not all doom and gloom.
Coach Andy Avalos delivered some somber news to Bronco Nation in his pre-fall camp press conference regarding a couple of members of the Boise State receiver room. The team’s leading receiver from 2022, Latrell Caples, who had 51 receptions for 549 yards and four touchdowns, will miss the entire 2023 season with a lower leg injury.
In addition, receiver Austin Bolt will have a “modified” fall camp according to Coach Avalos. Bolt is a local Boise product who has had a tremendous amount of hype surrounding him ever since he set foot on campus, but he has not had the opportunity to contribute as of yet due to injuries. He was carted off the field with a lower leg injury in Boise State’s season opener last year at Oregon State. However, Avalos does expect Bolt to be ready to contribute in this season’s opening contest at Washington.
Where does that leave the Boise State receiving corps for 2023? As luck would have it, nearly all of the receiving production from 2022 returns for this upcoming season. Losing Caples is a significant loss, though if there was ever a year to take a hit of this magnitude, 2023 might be it. Without his number one target, quarterback Taylen Green will direct his throws to a collection of proven talent including Billy Bowens, Stefan Cobbs, and Eric McAlister. That trio combined for 72 receptions, 1,117 yards, and 10 touchdowns while averaging 15.5 yards per reception. Even though McAlister didn’t register a single catch until the October 22nd matchup at Air Force, the sophomore receiver came on strong to finish the year with an eye-popping 23.5 yards per catch and 4 touchdowns on just 11 catches.
The Broncos also have some solid size to which Green can distribute the ball. The formerly mentioned McAlister and Bolt stand at 6’4” and 6’3”, respectively. In addition, true freshman Prince Strachan (brother of Michael Strachan, a wide receiver for the Indianapolis Colts) stands at 6’5” and has been getting significant hype from players and coaches throughout spring ball and summer workouts. With Caples’s injury, look for Strachan to make an impact earlier in his career than anticipated.
If the Broncos didn’t already have an embarrassment of riches in the receiver room, they also return star running backs George Holani and Ashton Jeanty, who have both proved to be very capable pass catchers out of the backfield combining for 38 receptions, 306 yards, and three touchdowns. The merry outlook continues with tight ends Riley Smith and Matt Lauter returning, as well, since that duo contributed 29 catches, 254 yards, and a touchdown themselves.
While you never want to lose a player as talented as Latrell Caples, Bronco fans should be able to rest easy knowing the cupboards are far from bare in Boise, confidence expressed by Caples himself:
we won't miss a step! the guys in the room are READY! see y'all in 2024 🫡 https://t.co/TS39J5TKmK
— 7 (@trellfor6) August 1, 2023
