Boise State’s Shakir thrives with a simple mantra: ‘Be quiet and play football’
Boise State wide receiver Khalil Shakir’s mother, Ramona, always has been heavily involved in his football career, but she may not be aware of just how influential she was.
A piece of advice she shared with Shakir as he was beginning high school stuck with him and has been the catalyst to his versatility on the field.
“I’ve always told my kids, ‘Be quiet and play football,’ ” Ramona Shakir said. “Wherever the coach puts you, do it.”
Shakir took that to heart at Vista Murrieta High in California, where he lined up at quarterback, running back and wide receiver and returned punts and kicks. His mother’s words still carry meaning this season as he has scored rushing and receiving touchdowns, and he threw the first touchdown pass of his career.
“I’m just thankful the coaches trust me to put the ball in my hands and let me go out there and try to make plays,” Shakir said. “It’s fun to play for coaches like that, and it motivates me to give it everything I’ve got every time.”
Shakir has at least one carry in 10 of Boise State’s 12 games, and with 5:37 left in regulation, his 5-yard touchdown run forced overtime in a game the Broncos won 20-17 against Wyoming. His five receiving touchdowns are tied for second on the team, and in a 42-9 win over New Mexico, he threw the first touchdown pass of his college career on a shovel pass to tight end Garrett Collingham.
Shakir, who made a difficult catch to clinch last week’s win at Colorado State, will figure heavily into the game plan again Saturday as the Broncos host Hawaii in the Mountain West championship game (2 p.m., ESPN).
“Obviously on the field, he’s that electric playmaker. We can put him at multiple positions and do a lot of different things with him,” Boise State offensive coordinator Zak Hill said Wednesday. “He’s very humble, but he’s got a lot of confidence to him, and he’s very smart. He can pick things up quickly, he understands the game and it makes it easy to try to find ways to get him the ball.”
Shakir didn’t throw many passes at Vista Murrieta, but he took plenty of snaps out of wildcat sets, and he finished his career with 1,495 rushing yards, 1,570 receiving yards and 29 touchdowns (15 rushing, 14 receiving). Carrying such a large load at a young age helped prepare him for the role he finds himself in at Boise State.
“It helped me to mature more in the game, having all those responsibilities in high school,” Shakir said. “My coaches out there believed in me then and trusted me, and that really meant something to me, so I never took it for granted.”
Hill said Shakir’s versatility stood out the first time he watched his highlight film.
“We knew he was that versatile guy, that weapon, and that he was smart enough to figure it all out,” Hill said. “Obviously, he’s a great playmaker, and whether he’s in the backfield or whatever position, he’s very capable of being a difference-maker.”
Shakir’s teammates say he’s as much a difference-maker in practice as in a game.
“He’s just a tremendous weapon, whether it’s speed and route running or just catching and playmaking,” cornerback Avery Williams said. “He’s a guy that can be dangerous at all times if you don’t pay attention to him.”
HAWAII AT NO. 19 BOISE STATE
What: Mountain West championship game
When: 2 p.m. Saturday
Where: Albertsons Stadium (36,387), Boise
TV: ESPN (Roy Philpott, Kelly Stouffer, Lauren Sisler)
Radio: KBOI 670 AM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)
Records: Boise State is 11-1 overall, 8-0 Mountain West; Hawaii is 9-4, 6-2
Series: Boise State leads 13-3 (last meeting: Boise State won 59-37 on Oct. 12 in Albertsons Stadium)
Vegas line: Boise State by 14
Weather: High of 45 degrees, 60 percent chance of rain, 12 mph wind out of the southeast
This story was originally published December 5, 2019 at 5:30 PM.
