8/16/2016 football Edit

Boise State Roster Breakdown: Tight Ends

Jeremy Rodriques

Blue-Turf Staff Writer

For our fourth installment of Blue-Turf’s positional breakdown we take a look at the Tight Ends. Here’s a little preview of what to expect from this group for the upcoming season.

Departed Players:

It is generally accepted among fans, media, and the coaches that one of the deepest position groups on Boise State’s roster is Tight End. With that in mind, the Broncos did lose a few key contributors. The Broncos had very little help in the receiving category from TEs at the end of the Petersen. In two short years, the Broncos had two TEs contributing in 2015 with Jake Roh (357) and Holden Huff (243) playing key roles in the passing game. Holden Huff has graduated, as did occasional contributor Jake Hardee. The Broncos also dismissed RS Freshman David Lucero in the off-season due to a domestic violence case.

New Players:

The Broncos swapped graduates Holden Huff and Jake Hardee for freshmen Nick Crabtree (Huntington Beach, Calif.) and John Bates (Lebanon, Ore.). Both giraffes tower over 6’6” and figure to be threats in the passing game. If Crabtree’s listing of 263 lbs is correct, he’ll be a force in the run game as a blocking TE too. While he’s not brand new to Boise State’s campus, Jake Knight (Meridian, Idaho) transferred back to the Gem State from Auburn in 2015 and will play a role in the offense this season. Expect both true freshmen to redshirt.

Boise State tight end, Jake Roh. (Stanley Brewster / Blue-Turf.com)

Potential Starters:

I doubt there will be any controversy here. Jake Roh is the starting TE, and Alec Dhaenens is the primary blocking TE in run situations. Matt Pistone is coming off his redshirt season and is listed around 250 lbs, so expect him to give Dhaenens a hand in the run game. Coeur d’Alene product Chase Blakley is coming off an Achilles injury, but is healthy now and ready to contribute. He was a 4-Star recruit according to Rivals coming out of high school. If he can regain his form after injury, he could be a big factor in the passing game. As mentioned earlier, Jake Knight also figures to be involved.

Fruitland Idaho's Alec Dhaenens. (Stanley Brewster /Blue-Turf.com)

Biggest Questions:

The Broncos have seven TEs on the roster. In today’s world of football, that is a lot. When that much attention is given to a dying position, expectations should be high. The passing game is unlikely to suffer due to this unit. Jake Roh is very good, and there is plenty of talent in this group to succeed. The real question is if this group can enforce themselves on defenses in the run game.

When they arrived to Boise State in December 2013, Bryan Harsin and Mike Sanford had a vision for the offense that involved the Broncos featuring a dominant run game, one similar to what Sanford coached at Stanford. To do that, the TEs must be able to push the pile. The OL plays the biggest role in that lofty dream, but the TEs can help the Broncos own the edge if their blocking is Stanford-caliber. That’s obviously a tough ask, but their role as the rook to the OL’s queen is important in establishing a dominant rush attack.

Outside of the QBs, TE is the smallest position group on the offense. But when fans think of the great Boise State offenses of the past, eventually the creative use of the TE position comes into the conversation. Time will tell if this group can join the reliable names of the past.