BOISE, Idaho — THIS DAY IN SPORTS…October 12, 2013, 10 years ago today:
Sophomore wide receiver Shane Williams-Rhodes makes 13 catches, the most at Boise State in 10 years, as the Broncos beat Utah State 34-23 at sold-out Romney Stadium in Logan. Quarterback Joe Southwick threw for a career-high 335 yards while the Broncos defense was able to hold the Aggies offense, playing without injured star Chuckie Keeton, at bay in a key Mountain West victory. Southwick completed passes to Williams-Rhodes, the smallest player on the field at 5-6, 157 pounds, on the first two plays from scrimmage—for a minus-six yards. But the rest of the way, SWR (as he was affectionately known) had 11 grabs for 156 yards and a touchdown. GF
At the end of the season, coach Chris Petersen left Boise State for Washington and Bryan Harsin took over. But Williams-Rhodes’ role did not change. He exceeded the big night in Logan with 14 receptions in the 2014 season opener versus Ole Miss in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff in Atlanta. SWR’s career total was 233 receptions, second only to Boise State’s all-time leader, Matt Miller, with 244. To give you perspective, No. 3 on the career list is one of the program’s greats, Austin Pettis, with 229.
Thomas Sperbeck, a true freshman who would end up fourth on Boise State’s career receptions list with 224, had made his first career catch in the previous game against Southern Miss. Sperbeck didn’t have a grab at USU, but he did have his first career passing attempt on a trick play. It was intercepted. Sperbeck totaled five catches for 40 yards on the season, and he didn’t even have a reception in the first four games of his sophomore season. But when Miller’s career ended with an injury at Air Force in Game 5 of 2014, Sperbeck’s career took off. And three months later he’d be the Offensive MVP of the Fiesta Bowl.
Talking about Shane Williams-Rhodes brings up a trivia question. Who was the last Boise State football player to wear No. 11? It was not Kellen Moore. It was SWR, who as a prized recruit was issued No. 11 the spring after Moore finished his Broncos career. SWR donned No. 11 through his first three seasons before switching to No. 1 as a senior. Here’s hoping SWR is indeed the last Bronco to wear No. 11.
(Tom Scott hosts the Scott Slant segment during the football season on KTVB’s Sunday Sports Extra. He also anchors four sports segments each weekday on 95.3 FM KTIK and one on News/Talk KBOI. His Scott Slant column runs every Wednesday.)
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