In farewell home game, this Boise State receiver climbed up lists of all-time greats
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Boise State 37, New Mexico 0
Boise State scored two first-half touchdowns on blocked punts and got more than 100 rushing yards out of running back George Holani for the third week in a row in a shutout of New Mexico.
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In farewell home game, this Boise State receiver climbed up lists of all-time greats
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Final: Boise State 37, New Mexico 0; Broncos score on pair of blocked punts
Boise State wide receiver Khalil Shakir cemented his spot among the best wide receivers to ever play for the Broncos in what was likely his final game at Albertsons Stadium on Saturday.
The senior hauled in a 56-yard touchdown pass with no time left to send the Broncos’ into halftime with a 24-0 lead over New Mexico, and recorded yet another 100-yard game. Boise State went on to win 37-0, and Shakir took a few moments after the game to soak in the atmosphere on The Blue with his teammates.
“Tonight was something special, and it’s moments like after the game that I’ll never forget,” Shakir said. “Tonight was the last time this exact team will play on The Blue, but we’re not done yet. We all know that, and we’re going to finish strong.”
Shakir said Wednesday that he was 99.9% sure Boise State’s game against New Mexico would be the last home game of his college career. The only way BSU will play at Albertsons Stadium again this fall will be if it hosts the Mountain West championship game or accepts an invitation to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.
Shakir has another year of eligibility available because of the extra year offered by the NCAA in response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on last season, but the lure of the NFL Draft likely will be too much for him to resist. He said Saturday that he’s still leaning toward making the jump to the NFL. He won’t make a final decision until talking to his father after the season, he said, but leaving his teammates would be the hardest part.
“I teared up a little bit before the game when I was running out there,” Shakir said. “The relationships I’ve built here are the ones that I’ll hold on to forever.”
Shakir’s long touchdown catch gave him 112 receiving yards, which marked the 10th 100-yard game of his career and tied him with Titus Young for the fifth-most in program history.
“You never how the game is going to go, but it all worked out in our favor tonight and we executed well and played well,” Shakir said. “I can’t do what I do without those guys doing their job, so I really love my team.”
Shakir finished with seven catches for 116 yards. It was the fourth time this season that he eclipsed the 100-yard barrier — matching the number of times he broke the century mark in seven games last fall.
The 6-foot, 190-pound native of Murrieta, California, has set career highs with 71 catches and 1,043 receiving yards this season. He’s the first Boise State wide receiver to crack the 1,000-yard mark in a season since Cedrick Wilson finished with a program-record 1,511 yards in 2017.
Shakir’s 202 career receptions rank No. 6 all-time at Boise State, and he’s now just two catches shy of tying Young at No. 5. Shakir also moved into No. 5 in program history with 2,804 career receiving yards.
As much as he means to the team on the field, his contributions behind the scenes are even more important, Boise State coach Andy Avalos said.
“There’s so much that he does behind the scenes as a leader, a person and a man,” Avalos said. “He’s one of the humblest guys on the team as well, and we’re very grateful he’s been a part of his brotherhood and part of this program.”
Top wide receivers in Boise State history
Receiving yards in a career
1. Thomas Sperbeck, (2013-16) 3,601
2. Titus Young, (2007-10) 3,063
3. Matt Miller, (2011-14) 3,049
4. Austin Pettis, (2007-10) 2,838
5. Khalil Shakir (2018-21) 2,804
Receiving yards in a season
1. Cedrick Wilson: 1,511 (2017)
2. Thomas Sperbeck: 1,412 (2015)
3. Sperbeck: 1,272 (2016)
4. Titus Young: 1,215 (2010)
5. Tim Gilligan: 1,192 (2003)
6. Matt Miller: 1,140 (2013)
7. Billy Wingfield: 1,138 (2002)
8. Cedrick Wilson: 1,129 (2016)
9. Kipp Bedard: 1,101 (1981)
10. Mike Holton: 1,080 (1974)
Khalil Shakir: 1,043 (2021)
Career 100-yard receiving games
1. Thomas Sperbeck: 15
2. Ryan Ikebe: 13
3. Don Hutt: 12
4. Mike Holton/Cedrick Wilson: 11
5. Titus Young/Khalil Shakir: 10
Career receptions
1. Matt Miller, (2011-14) 244
2. Shane Williams-Rhodes, (2012-15) 233
3. Austin Pettis, (2007-10) 229
4. Thomas Sperbeck, (2013-16) 224
5. Titus Young, (2007-10) 204
6. Khalil Shakir, (2018-21) 202
7. Don Hutt, (1970-73) 189
8. Jeremy Childs, (2006-08) 168
9. Ryan Ikebe, (1993-96) 162
10. Mike Wilson, (1990-93) 159
Receptions in a season
1 Matt Miller (2013)/Thomas Sperbeck (2015): 88
2. Cedrick Wilson (2017): 83
4. Jeremy Childs (2007): 82
5. Thomas Sperbeck (2016): 80
6. Titus Young (2009): 79
7. Shane Williams-Rhodes (2013): 77
8. Mike Wilson (1992): 76
9. Jeemy Childs (2008): 72
10. Austin Pettis (2010)/Titus Young (2010)/Khalil Shakir (2021): 71
This story was originally published November 21, 2021 at 12:49 AM.
