Boise State’s top WR will be limited in spring practice; Vallejo re-signs with Cardinals
The Boise State football team’s top wide receiver will be limited in practice as the Broncos open spring ball on Friday.
Khalil Shakir is still rehabbing after an injury he suffered during the Mountain West championship game last December against San Jose State.
Boise State football coach Andy Avalos didn’t go into the specifics about the injury Thursday, describing it as a “lower half injury,” but he did say it required surgery.
Shakir is one of just two starters who will not fully participate as spring practice opens. The other is defensive lineman Demitri Washington, who was lost to a knee injury during the Broncos’ win at Air Force last October. Avalos said in February that Washington was expected to miss the spring, but he updated the redshirt sophomore’s status Thursday, saying he’s further ahead in rehab than expected.
Shakir limped off the field, favoring his left leg, in the third quarter of the Broncos’ 34-20 loss to San Jose State in the conference title game. He led the team last season with 52 catches for 719 yards and six receiving touchdowns.
He’s one of several experienced wide receivers back on the field for Boise State this season. Seniors CT Thomas and Octavius Evans both took the NCAA up on its offer of an extra year of eligibility, and sophomores Stefan Cobbs and Billy Bowens both saw their snaps increase last fall.
Broncos set academic records
The Boise State football team finished the 2020 fall semester with a program-record 3.12 team GPA and led the athletic department with 10 players who earned a 4.0.
Boise State carried a 3.4 GPA across all sports, and 81% of athletes earned at least a 3.0. It’s the 18th consecutive semester that the Broncos have recorded a department GPA above 3.0.
The gymnastics team led the department for the 13th consecutive semester with a 3.87 team GPA, which is the best mark for a fall semester by any sport in Boise State history. Men’s track and field and cross country also set a fall-semester program record with a 3.39 team GPA.
The final grades saw eight Boise State squads post at least a 3.5 team GPA.
Vallejo staying with Cardinals
Former Boise State linebacker Tanner Vallejo will stay with the Arizona Cardinals after signing a two-year extension worth $4.1 million on Wednesday.
Vallejo led the team in special teams tackles last season with 15, and in 96 snaps on defense, he recorded 26 tackles and a sack. He originally joined the Cardinals in 2019.
Vallejo was a three-time All-Mountain West pick at Boise State between 2013 and 2016. As a senior, he finished fourth on the team with 69 tackles despite playing in just nine games because of injuries. As a sophomore in 2014, he led the Mountain West with 16.5 tackles for loss.
This story was originally published March 11, 2021 at 3:38 PM.
