Senior class tracker: Find out which of Boise State’s upperclassmen will return next season
The Boise State football team has 19 players listed on the roster as seniors, redshirt seniors or graduate students, most of whom are unsure about their futures right now.
The NCAA offered all fall athletes an extra year of eligibility because of the effect COVID-19 had on the 2020 season, which was indefinitely suspended in August before the Mountain West announced in September that it would play an eight-game season.
Boise State got seven games in, finishing 5-2, including a loss to San Jose State in the Mountain West championship game. The Broncos had regular-season games against the Spartans and UNLV canceled because of the virus.
Even though the extra year is on the table, former Boise State coach Bryan Harsin said in November that every program may not be able to carry that many athletes, given the scholarships that were expected to be available for incoming recruits.
“Just because the NCAA made the rule doesn’t mean every university is going to be able to follow that,” Harsin said. “Nobody knows what the situation is, and it’s not just seniors. It’s everybody on the team. There’s going to have to be some decisions made at the end of the year.”
Some players have already announced their intentions. Others have said they’re leaning toward returning for another season but made no official announcement.
More announcements will trickle in, in the coming months, and we’ll keep track of them. Check back to find out which seniors will be back next season and which ones the Broncos will have to replace.
Coming back
Jan. 20
P Joel Velazquez, R-Sr., 6-0, 224, Mission Viejo, California
New Boise State special teams coordinator Stacy Collins confirmed Wednesday that punter/kicker Joel Velazquez will take the NCAA up on its offer and return this season.
Velazquez appeared in five of the Broncos’ seven games last season, missing home contests against BYU and Colorado State for undisclosed reasons. Boise State released a list of inactive players before each game last fall, but it didn’t distinguish between players who were out because of positive COVID-19 tests or contact tracing and those who were out because of injuries or disciplinary issues.
While he was on the field, he averaged a career-high 41 yards per punt. He also handled kickoffs, averaging 63.9 yards per kick with 23 touchbacks.
Velazquez didn’t attempt a field goal last season, but in 2019, he went 1-for-2, connecting on a 52-yard attempt in a win at UNLV.
The native of Mission Viejo, California, joined Boise State in 2016 as a three-star recruit, according to ESPN and Scout.com. He’s the early favorite to handle punts and kickoffs again in 2021, while Jonah Dalmas handles the field goals after going 7-for-8 last season as a freshman.
Jan. 19
WR CT Thomas, Sr., 5-8, 175, Lancaster, Texas
Boise State wide receivers coach Matt Miller confirmed Tuesday that Thomas will return this season.
Thomas played in all seven of the Broncos’ games last season and finished second on the team with 20 catches for 347 yards and two touchdowns.
He joined the Broncos in 2017 as a three-star recruit and appeared in all 14 games that season as a true freshman. He heads into the 2021 season with 117 career receptions for 1,525 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Thomas’ return means the Broncos should have their top three receivers back on the field this season. Khalil Shakir led the team last fall with 52 catches for 719 yards and six touchdowns, and tight end Riley Smith finished third with 15 grabs for 155 yards and a touchdown.
▪ Thomas emerged last season as a threat on third down.
▪ Here’s a story on how he became known as CT.
Jan. 19
WR Octavius Evans, Sr., 6-1, 204, Center, Texas
Miller also confirmed Tuesday Evans will return this season after he missed all but two games in 2020.
Evans was on the field last October for the Broncos’ season opener against Utah State, and he made the trip to Air Force the following week. He caught two passes in each of those games and hauled in a touchdown in a 42-30 win over the Falcons. But that was the last time he took the field in 2020.
The 6-foot-1, 199-pound native of Center, Texas, spent the final five games of the season on the inactive list for undisclosed reasons. Boise State released a list of inactive players before each game last fall, but it didn’t distinguish between players who were out because of positive COVID-19 tests or contact tracing and those who were out because of injuries or disciplinary issues.
Young wide receivers Stefan Cobbs and Billy Bowens saw their playing time increase during Evans’ absence.
Like Thomas, Evans joined the Broncos as a three-star recruit in 2017 and appeared in every game that season as a true freshman. He was slowed by injuries as a sophomore, but he began to emerge as a deep threat in 2019 and finished the season with with 19 catches for 211 yards and a touchdown.
▪ Evans switched to jersey No. 1 before the 2018 season.
Jan. 9
OL Donte Harrington, R-Sr., 6-2, 304, San Clemente, California
Harrington confirmed Saturday that he will be back on the field in 2021.
He was awarded a medical redshirt year because he missed all of the 2019 season after tearing his ACL in the preseason. He was already planning on returning for a sixth year before the NCAA offered an additional year to all fall athletes, but the extra eligibility gives him the option of a seventh year.
Harrington appeared in five games last season, lining up at guard and center.
He joined the Broncos in 2016 as a three-star recruit and the No. 13 ranked center in the nation at San Clemente High School in California — the same program that produced Boise State linebacker Riley Whimpey and quarterback Jack Sears.
▪ Last July, Harrington helped organize a voter registration drive, which resulted in at least 46 of his teammates registering.
▪ In April, he joined a few teammates in helping a local food pantry gather items for families in need.
Not returning
Dec. 30, 2020
LB Nick Provenzano, R-Sr., 5-11, 228, Glendora, California
Provenzano confirmed Wednesday that he’s moving on from football to focus on his professional life.
“I was ready to hang it up,” Provenzano said. “My body is tired and banged up, and I graduated in December. I’m ready to close the book and ride off.”
Provenzano is the fourth member of the senior class to announce he won’t return next season, joining cornerback/return specialist Avery Williams and tight end John Bates — both of whom declared for the NFL Draft — and offensive lineman Nick Crabtree, who is also stepping away from football (See below).
He’s also the fourth Boise State player to confirm he tested positive for COVID-19, joining STUD Sam Whitney, running back Andrew Van Buren and quarterback Hank Bachmeier.
Provenzano appeared in all but one game this season, playing mostly on special teams. He missed the Broncos’ road game at Hawaii after testing positive for the virus, but he said he didn’t have any symptoms other than a little fatigue.
Provenzano also said he was shocked to find out Harsin was leaving, but he understands it was an opportunity his coach couldn’t pass on.
“I never thought I’d see the day he’d leave Boise, but look at the opportunity he’s getting,” Provenzano said. “That’s probably one of the only opportunities he could have taken and you’d be like ‘yea I get it.’ He’s going to get to compete for national championships and it’s a huge step up in his career, so I’m happy for him.”
He said the senior class had a talk with the coaching staff about how the university plans to handle the extra year of eligibility not long before Harsin was announced as Auburn’s new head coach, and it was clear there were still decisions to be made.
“They told us they had some things to figure out on their end, but obviously players have to make the decision first,” Provenzano said. “Some guys are going to want to leave and some will really want to come back.”
Provenzano has a business degree and a job in commercial real estate. He plans to stay in Boise, calling the city a place where he can see himself starting a family.
The Glendora, California, native followed his brother, Joe, to Boise State, joining the Broncos as a walk-on in 2016. Joe Provenzano played for Boise State from 2014 to 2018. He also joined the team as a walk-on and played mainly on special teams.
“He told me it’s going to one of the hardest things you’ve ever done,” Nick Provenzano said. “He also said guys come through this program and kill it in real world because of what they learned from Bronco football.”
Nick Provenzano earned a scholarship this fall during training camp in a moment he said caught him completely off guard and he’ll never forget. The Broncos were in a team meeting when Harsin called him up to the front and gave him a scholarship in front of his teammates.
“It was special, but I didn’t do anything looking for validation or approval,” he said. “I wasn’t working hard because I expected the scholarship. I was working hard and doing the right things because that’s what I do and I love team and all the players in the locker room.”
Dec. 27, 2020
CB Avery Williams, R-Sr., 5-9, 195, Pasadena, California
Williams announced Dec. 24 that he won’t return next season and will instead enter the NFL Draft. The former walk-on is a two-time Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year, earning the honor for the second consecutive season after leading the country this fall with four special teams touchdowns.
He’s No. 1 all-time at Boise State with nine special teams touchdowns, and Williams has been named an All-American by four organizations, including first-team nods by Sporting News and USA Today.
Williams was also a starter at cornerback. He was named first-team all-conference at the position this season, and he has four career interceptions.
▪ Take a look at this story about how Williams embraced his role as a specialist.
▪ Here’s a story on how Williams worked to perfect his punt return technique.
Dec. 27, 2020
TE John Bates, R-Sr., 6-6, 256, Lebanon, Oregon
Bates was the first member of the class to declare for the NFL Draft. His announcement Dec. 24 may have come as a surprise to many, given how his role on the offense diminished this season after he suffered a hamstring injury Nov. 6 against BYU.
He tied his career high with five receptions in both of Boise State’s first two games of the season, but he only caught two passes in the final five games and both were against BYU.
Bates finished his college career with 47 catches for 579 yards and two touchdowns.
▪ Here’s a story from earlier this season on Bates’ proposal to his girlfriend.
▪ Here’s one on Bates studying former Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.
Dec. 27, 2020
OT Nick Crabtree, R-Sr., 6-7, 315, Huntington Beach, California
Crabtree announced Dec. 23 that he’s stepping away from football to focus on his professional life.
He joined the Broncos as a tight end in 2016 but transitioned to offensive tackle. The Huntington Beach, California, native appeared in every game last season as a reserve lineman or on special teams before starting at right tackle this fall.
He scored the only touchdown of his career on a fumble recovery against Colorado State, but missed the Broncos’ game at Hawaii for undisclosed reasons.
Crabtree started Boise State’s regular-season finale at Wyoming and the Mountain West championship game, but he split snaps with Uzo Osuji — a transfer from Rice.
Crabtree was one of four new starters on Boise State’s offensive line this season.
Have not announced
N Kekaula Kaniho, Sr., 5-10, 183
LB Riley Whimpey, Sr., 6-1, 233
CB Jalen Walker, R-Sr., 6-0, 181
LB Brock Miller, R-Sr., 6-4, 234
LB Benton Wickersham, R-Sr., 6-2, 226
LB Bruno DeRose, R-Sr., 5-11, 231
OL Jake Stetz, R-Sr., 6-2, 308
OT Uzo Usoji, R-Sr., 6-8, 297
TE Mason Sikes, R-Sr., 6-3, 245
S Evan Tyler, Gr., 6-2, 200
STUD Sam Whitney, Gr., 6-2, 225
This story was originally published December 30, 2020 at 4:00 AM.
