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Wednesday, July 27, 2016 | B5
Wednesday, July 27, 2016 | magicvalley.com | SECTION B
Much bigger than his body Boise State’s Thomas Sperbeck is more than meets the eye MICHAEL KATZ mkatz@magicvalley.com
LAS VEGAS — When he finally matched face to jersey at Mountain West Media Days, New Mexico linebacker Dakota Cox honestly couldn’t believe it. That was Thomas Sperbeck. Sperbeck torched the LoASSOCIATED PRESS bos to the tune of 20 catches Boise State wide receiver Thomas Sperbeck runs past New Mexico cornerback for 281 yards last season, both Cranston Jones during a November 14, 2015 game in Boise. school records. Everything that
was thrown his way, Sperbeck caught. Even his last catch, when he lateraled to Austin Cottrell and ended up just a yard away from a paydirt and an exhilarating finish, had Cox on his toes. “When he caught that last pass, when he lateraled it to the other receiver, that was something we were like, ‘Oh, he’s got the ball. He lateraled it. Now it’s even worse because (Cottrell) was wide open,’” Cox said with a laugh. “This can’t be happening.” Though Markel Byrd wound up saving the day with a tackle just
feet from the end zone, Sperbeck had done enough damage to give the UNLV secondary nightmares for years to come. So when Cox finally met Sperbeck on Tuesday, he was surprised at his stature or lack thereof. “When I met him I was like, ‘You’re Thomas Sperbeck?” Cox said with a laugh. “We’re letting this guy get, what, like 280 yards against us?” Sperbeck is listed at 6-feet tall. He might weigh 180 lbs. soaking wet. Initially, he only got Please see Boise, Page B7
Blue Jays rally for 3 runs in 12th to beat Padres 7-6 Associated Press
TORONTO — Devon Travis scored the winning run on a wild pitch, and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied for three runs in the 12th inning to beat the San Diego Padres 7-6 on Tuesday night. Matt Kemp put the Padres in front with a two-run homer off Jesse Chavez (1-2) in the top of the 12th, but San Diego’s bullpen couldn’t hold the lead. Travis drew a 14-pitch walk to load the bases, bringing Paul Clemens on in relief of Carlos Villanueva (1-2). Clemens walked Jose Bautista to make it 6-5 before Josh Donaldson tied it with a fielder’s choice grounder. With Edwin Encarnacion batting, a pitch bounced away from catcher Derek Norris, and Travis slid in just ahead of the tag as his teammates stormed out of the dugout to celebrate. It was the second key run to score on a wild pitch: Toronto catcher Russell Martin made it 4-all when he scored on Brad Hand’s wild pitch in the seventh. Donaldson hit a two-run homer and Justin Smoak had a solo shot for the Blue Jays. Alex Dickerson hit a threerun shot, his third homer in three games, as San Diego extended its club-record streak of games with at least one home run to 24. It’s the longest run since the 2002 Texas Rangers set a major league record by homering in 27 straight. Outfielder Melvin Upton Jr., traded from San Diego to Toronto before the game, made his Blue Jays debut as a pinch hitter in the seventh. He grounded into a fielder’s choice. Please see Blue Jays, Page B6
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE
Boise State coach Bryan Harsin looks on during a scrimmage on Aug. 21, 2015, in Boise.
BSU officially back Mountain West Media Days 2016: What we saw and what we heard MICHAEL KATZ mkatz@magicvalley.com
LAS VEGAS — Another year, another season of high preseason expectations for Boise State. The Broncos are the preseason pick to win the Mountain West Conference’s Mountain Division in 2016, the conference released Tuesday at its annual media days. The Broncos have been picked to win the division every year since
the conference went to two divisions in 2013. Boise State joined the Mountain West in 2011. A trio of Broncos were also selected to the All-Mountain West preseason team. Quarterback Brett Rypien, wide receiver Thomas Sperbeck and kicker Tyler Rausa each earned spots on the list. For the first time since joining the Mountain West, no Boise State defender was named to the preseason All-Conference team. San Diego State’s Donnel Pumphrey, Damontae Kazee and Rashaad Penny swept the preseason Offensive, Defensive and Special Teams Player of the
Year, respectively. The preseason polls and awards were voted on by local media. Boise State has won the Mountain Division just once since the conference split into Mountain and West divisions. The Broncos won the division in 2014 en route to the Mountain West title and a Fiesta Bowl championship. In addition to news of preseason accolades, coaches and players from the Mountain Division were available to chat about a variety of topics on Tuesday with members of the media. Everything from team success to hair styles was fair game.
Boise State HC Bryan Harsin ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF QB BRETT RYPIEN: “Brett actually self evaluates the way we all should. He’s honest about it. He can put the good with the bad.” “His knowledge has grown as well. I think probably the biggest area, his work ethic into his leadership. Some guys can’t lead when they don’t do all the work. He works. He puts in the time. He’s there early. He’s there late. Please see BSU, Page B7
White Sox avoid Chapman, down Cubs 3-0 behind Shields Associated Press
HICAGO — Out went Chris C Sale and the shredded 1976 throwback jerseys. In came 1983 uniforms and a four-game winning streak. James Shields allowed four singles in 7 2/3 innings, Adam Eaton homered and the White Sox stayed unbeaten since their ace’s suspension by beating the Cubs 3-0 on Tuesday night in Chicago’s crosstown rivalry. When Sale tore up the 1976-style jerseys before his scheduled start Saturday, the
White Sox had to put on their 1983-era uniforms as Sale was sent home. They’ve won four straight in those white jerseys as Sale serves a five-day suspension. “Can’t wear them tomorrow,” manager Robin Ventura said, noting they’ll have to wear visiting dark jerseys as the series shifts to Wrigley Field. “If we could, I think we would.” The Cubs lost their second straight and never got to use new closer Aroldis Chapman hours after he joined the team
and struggled answering questions related to an altercation last year with his girlfriend. The Cubs had no extra-base hits. Kris Bryant was 0 for 4 with three strikeouts and has fanned seven times in 10 at-bats against Shields. “The starting pitching the last four games has forced us out of our game plan,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. Shields (5-12) struck out five and continued an impressive Please see White Sox, Page B7
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chicago White Sox starting pitcher James Shields is greeted in the dugout after pitching out of a bases-loaded jam during the second inning of a
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on the field because of an injury to then-star wide receiver Matt Miller. He isn’t the biggest. He isn’t the strongest. And he isn’t the fastest. But somehow Thomas Sperbeck just keeps making things happen. “He doesn’t look like a football player at all. He looks like just some normal dude walking the strip at Vegas,” Wyoming safety Andrew Wingard said. “He’s really slippery and, you know, he’s deceptively fast. You can ask any of the guys on our secondary from last year how they look at him. You can’t underestimate anyone or he’ll blow right by you at any moment. And he’s got freaking flypaper for hands.” Sperbeck isn’t one to talk about himself. But his numbers from 2015 did the talking for him. The junior set the record books on fire a season ago, notching 88 catches for a school-record 1,412 yards and eight touchdowns. Sperbeck is already No. 5 in career receiving yards in school history with 2,329 and will likely surpass Titus Young’s record of 3,063 yards. After a slow start threegame start to the season where he didn’t top 100 yards or catch a touchdown, Sperbeck finished with five games of 120 receiving yards or more. His 108.6 receiving yards per game was good for No. 7 in the nation. “I don’t really look at the stats like that,” Sperbeck said. “Maybe when I’m done playing I’ll say, ‘Wow.’” Boise State’s history is littered with All-American wide receivers. Don Hutt, Al Marshall, Mike Holton, Eric Andrade and Ryan Ikebe have special places in Bronco lore. But that was before Boise State became one of the big boys. Not once since moving up to the FBS ranks in 1997 has a Boise State receiver been named an All-American. Each of the Broncos’ previous All-Americans came when the program was either in the NCAA’s Division II or in the FCS/I-AA.
White Sox From B5
turnaround from a terrible first three starts after being acquired from San Diego last month. “This is the guy we were
BSU
M 1
Not Jeremy Childs. Not Legedu Naanee. Not T.J. Acree. Not Titus Young. Not Austin Pettis. Not even the school’s all-time leader in receptions, Matt Miller. Though the Broncos own 13 slots on first team all-conference squads since 1997, it has never been enough for an All-American nod. Enter the young man from Northern California who grew up idolizing Jerry Rice. According to the statistic website RotoGrinders.com, Sperbeck was targeted on 26.86 percent of all throws from Boise State quarterbacks in 2015 in the team’s first 12 games. That was No. 33 in the entire country among all eligible receivers. The next closest targeted Bronco was Chaz Anderson at a 15.7 percent clip. A combination of brains, hands, footwork, body control and heart have transformed Thomas Sperbeck from a former high school quarterback into one of the best players in college football. “Reliable and dependable. That’s Thomas Sperbeck,” Boise State head coach Bryan Harsin said. “Maybe he doesn’t have all the other stuff. Whatever you want to put it, the numbers and flash and all that … You want to put the measurable on there, it’s probably not going pan out in (his) favor. But can (he) play football? (Does he) have the qualities you want? Absolutely.”
I think what helped me the most was my dad being a football coach,” Sperbeck explained. “He always helped me with coverages, timing. I think that’s what helped me the most more than my time at quarterback.” In addition to his ability to see the game better than most, he also has an ability to feel it; Thomas Sperbeck just knows how to play. He’s a natural at everything he does, according to his head coach. “He’s very good at what he does,” Harsin said. “Thomas is a guy that can pick up a tennis racquet, a golf club, hackey sack. You name it, he’s probably good at it. That’s just who he is. I think he’s just got that demeanor about him.” Wyoming head coach Craig Bohl was on the wrong end of Sperbeck’s natural feel in October. “First of all, I think he’s really well coached. And then the other thing, there’s an innate ability to see the field and play fast,” Bohl said. “I think he utilizes his skills. He’s a warrior out there. He competes.” Sperbeck says his favorite pattern to run is the slant. He doesn’t know why, but it always seems to work. As with most things he does, it just feels right. “Slant over the middle. From the slot,” Sperbeck said after a moment’s hesitation. “It just always works for us. I’m not sure (why).”
THE MIND AND FEEL
Sperbeck came to Boise State as a safety. He played quarterback at Jesuit High School in Carmichael, Calif. He estimates he played just three reps at receiver as a prep. He said he was recruited by Army as a quarterback and as an athlete by Colorado State. Only San Jose State recruited him as a receiver. But his experiences as a quarterback are part of what made his transition to receiver seamless. He sees things other receivers might not because he has a different perspective having been the one throwing. Being coached by his father also helped mold his football mind. “It’s helped me a lot. (But)
A single catch against Wyoming gave the nation insight into what many Boise State faithful had known for a few years. Thomas Sperbeck has solid mitts. On a third-and-seven play from the Cowboys’ 17-yard line, freshman quarterback Brett Rypien dropped back and threw a dart to the left sideline. The ball was high and outside. It was an incompletion ready to happen. “I think we were in man coverage or something like that. I was on him. I remember the play. I fell over or something,” Wyoming safety Andrew Wingard said with a laugh. “I saw that ball thrown to the sidelines and I was like, ‘Ok, good. It’s in-
thinking of when we got him,” Ventura said. Nate Jones finished the eighth and David Robertson worked a perfect ninth for his 24th save as the White Sox (5050) returned to .500. Jose Abreu had two hits, including an RBI single in the
first off Kyle Hendricks (9-7) that ended his streak of 22 2/3 innings without allowing an earned run. Eaton added a solo homer in the fifth on a day where both teams faced off-field issues. Chapman arrived after being acquired from the New
THE HANDS
Wednesday, July 27, 2016 | B7
complete.’” Sperbeck calmly stretched his right arm out and did his best to grab the ball. He couldn’t catch it cleanly. He tipped the ball to himself and again grasped it with his right hand. This time he was able to secure it. The only problem was he ran out of sideline. Sperbeck brought the ball into his chest without a foot having touched the ground after the reception. He calmly dragged his left toe to the turf, just inches away from the white chalk. He fell to the ground already a Boise State hero. He picked himself up from The Blue a household name who would be seen on SportsCenter for days to come. “I got a lot (of messages). Just a lot of my friends, family,” Sperbeck said with a grin. “They said ‘I can’t believe you did that.’ It was pretty cool.” Sperbeck’s stellar hands didn’t happen by accident. Though he admits they aren’t huge, he takes pride in having strong hands. Fingertip push-ups and constant grip strength exercises are just a few of the ways he’s developed grip strength. In a world where NFL evaluators fault players for having small hands, Sperbeck manages to get by with strong ones. “I do take pride in the balls that I catch. I take a lot of pride in my hands,” Sperbeck said. “They’re not very big. But they’re pretty strong.” Sperbeck is also a regular user of the jugs machine, though he said he prefers catching passes from Brett Rypien. He didn’t play receiver in high school but believes that simply playing catch with his other quarterbacks in warmups helped him tremendously. “I don’t know. When you’re a quarterback, you warm up, play catch every day,” said Sperbeck. “I caught a lot of balls just playing catch.”
dimensions. But what he lacks in pure speed he makes up for with incredible quickness, agility and footwork. “He’s really slippery and, you know, he’s deceptively fast. You can ask any of the guys on our secondary from last year how they look at him,” Wingard said. “He’s so sneaky.” Cox pointed to sharp route running and his preciseness that sets Sperbeck apart. He can beat you off the line of scrimmage even if he isn’t torching you. “He’s very crisp at his route running. His footwork, his initial step off the line, too,” Cox said. “He’s a lot like the guys you watch in the NFL like Wes Welker, just the smaller, undersized guys.” Sperbeck takes a lot of pride in his footwork. He runs routes cleanly and easily. Though he appears a natural route runner, he works at it constantly. “It’s my footwork. I’m very fundamental. So I try to stick to that a lot. A lot of it is our concepts for offense. I think the coaches do such a good job of just reading defenses and calling plays at the right time.” As his highlight reel grab against Wyoming proved, Sperbeck is also tremendous at adjusting to poorly thrown passes. That body control was a point of emphasis for New Mexico heading into their 2015 matchup with the Broncos. It didn’t make a difference. “He does really well bad adjusting to passes. That’s something that we definitely noticed,” said Cox. “Our DBs were definitely worried about that.”
Thomas Sperbeck estimates he runs somewhere between a 4.5 and 4.6 second 40-yard dash. It’s not blazing for someone of his
What Thomas Sperbeck lacks in size and speed he more than makes up for with his toughness and desire. It’s not coachable but it is certainly tangible. “I think it’s just that. I think he knows that he’s a little smaller. He’s not that ideal wide receiver. I think that drives him to prove people wrong,” said Cox. “I think that’s what makes him dangerous. That’s what makes him so good.” As good as he was in 2015, Sperbeck has every expec-
tation of being better in 2016. He said he has worked on his vertical speed in the offseason in addition to his other fundamentals. He’s not content with where he is. “For right now I’m just trying to be the best that I can,” Sperbeck said. Statistically, Sperbeck is as good as any wide receiver in college football. His 2015 numbers match up favorable with anyone in the country, including USC’s Juju Smith Schuster and Biletnikoff Award winner Corey Coleman from Baylor. But just as raw numbers in a wind-sprint don’t tell the story of his game, Sperbeck doesn’t believe that his statistics or accolades match him with anyone. He doesn’t want to play that game. “I don’t really think about it too much,” said Sperbeck. “I’m confident in my ability, but I don’t really compare myself to other receivers.” Sperbeck has a realistic chance to be Boise State’s first FBS All-American wide receiver. Literally and figuratively, however, that is not all in his hands. Nor is it his concern. Because as large of strides as he has made as a converted quarterback, Sperbeck isn’t done yet. “Sometimes I’m pretty surprised at how far I’ve come. But, I mean, I’m not done yet. Maybe when I’m done playing I can look back and say, ‘Wow, I can’t believe I did all that.’” The former signal caller has one more year of football left on The Blue. He has a chance to set a plethora of records that the school’s all-time greats will never touch. He isn’t the fastest. He isn’t the thickest. And he isn’t the tallest. But Thomas Sperbeck plays wide receiver as well as just about anyone in the history of Boise State football. And that isn’t by accident. He’s earned the great things that have come his way. “He is a football player, is what coaches would say. He’s not a combine guy,” Harsin said. “(But) you’d take that guy 100 times out of 100.”
York Yankees and immediately faced scrutiny from reporters over his offseason domestic violence incident and ensuing 29-game suspension. Chapman said he couldn’t recall a conversation with Cubs personnel about off-field conduct that Chicago described
in a team release when it announced the trade. President of baseball operations Theo Epstein said the Spanish-speaking Chapman did not understand the reporters’ questions, adding that Chapman was “pretty nervous” and insisting the
closer understands what the Cubs expect. Minutes later, Ventura asserted he can work with Sale despite the ace’s critical comments of the manager for not sticking up for him when he was suspended for the collared jerseys he objected to.
THE FEET AND BODY CONTROL
ON SAN DIEGO STATE: was a tremendous leader and “(Rocky Long will) be blitzing young man. And he’s going to be a from the minute he gets off that tremendous coach as he grows up.” From B5 bus.” He is first on, last off. So now, those “They’re going to try to run it Ricky Ali’fua, DL, Utah expectations are not only for him- right up your butt.” State self, but those around him.” ON FORCING TURNOVERS ON FORCING BOISE STATE INTO Boise State LB Ben Weaver AGAINST BSU: SIX FIRST HALF TURNOVERS IN 2015 EN ROUTE TO A BLOWOUT ON NO DEFENSIVE PLAYERS “Any time you turn the ball over VICTORY: BEING SELECTED TO THE that much, it takes you out of your rhythm. I’ve been on the other end “Preparation. That was the bigPRESEASON ALL-MOUNTAIN of some of those, too.” gest key. Boise State is an amazing WEST TEAM: “Everything went right that program.” “Going into that game we knew “We kind of look at it, at least I night. Balls bounced our direclook at it, if you have over 100 tack- tion, balls were on the ground and that we needed to make sure to les, that’s really good for you. But bounced into our hands. We turned cross our T’s and dot our I’s, bethat means maybe a lot of guys ar- right around and were able to turn cause they’re the kind of team that, en’t doing their job, or you’re hav- those turnovers into touchdowns, they thrive off of mishaps. We just ing to make too many hustle plays not field goals.” had to make sure that we prepared or you’re having to catch guys from as best as we could to make sure ON THE IMPACT OF A WIN OVER behind.” that we were on point.” “When it’s spread out like that BSU: ON WHAT IT MEANT TO TAKE and more people are doing their jobs, yes, some people might not “I think our fans acted appro- DOWN THE BRONCOS: get a lot of glory. We might not priately. I think that was a big win. have a lot of first-team guys. But if I don’t think there’s any question. “I think it was mostly bigger because of how many fans they everyone’s doing their job like that, It’s another top 25 win.” “I have a tremendous amount of brought. I looked up and thought I think that’s ultimately better for us.” respect for who they are now and I was in Boise, until I looked at the who they have been and how its grass and it was green.” ON NEW DC ANDY AVALOS: “I think it was nice to enjoy that gone from coach to coach to coach.” with the fans in front of our home “Coach Avalos did so much for us last year already as it is, in the run ON LOSING QB CHUCKIE KEATON, crowd.” WHO WAS ON THE TEAM FOR SIX “Having a win against them was game especially.” huge.” YEARS: ON THE STRENGTH OF THE 2016 DEFENSE: “It will be the first opener I’ve Austin Stephens, OL, Utah been at at Utah State in six years State “Some of our older talent and that he did not start.” experience level, I think expecially “What Chuckie Keaton did for ON BREAKING THROUGH WITH A at the linebacker position. You’ve Utah State is very well documented VICTORY OVER BSU: got myself, Tanner, Joey Martarano. and it’s very. Very well deserved. We’ve even got some older guys Chuckie will go down as one of the “This program took a big step we who might not start but they still best quarterbacks if not the best to have to continue to take those steps ever play at Utah State. People re- and cant have those fall backs like have a lot of experience.” “There’s not that drop-off level member by what he has done and we did last year.” from the first string to the second maybe even what he could have string.” done if he didn’t have those inju- ON A SLIDE TO END THE SEASON: ries.” “You can speculate a bunch of Utah State HC Matt Wells “He fought through those and stuff, but there’s not just one cer-
The Heart
tain thing. For us, this offseason has been focusing on not letting that come back into hand and keep moving forward from where we were.” “None of us wanted that feeling ever again.”
to go another way.” ON WHETHER BOISE STATE HAS LOST ITS MYSTIQUE:
“I feel like Boise is still Boise. Just every single game, no matter who you’re playing, you have a chance to lose, you have a chance to win.” Wyoming HC Craig Bohl “I don’t feel like the glow of the ON A BLOWOUT LOSS AT BSU: program has diminished at all. It’s “That was a rough night. The just people are scheming them, learned how to scheme up the whole Blue got is.” “I don’t know if it was The Blue. program.” It was the dudes running around on the Blue.” Dakota Cox, LB, New
Brian Hill, RB, Wyoming ON LOSING HIS DREADLOCKS IN THE OFFSEASON: “They can’t just reach up and grab my hair any more. Hopefully I’m a better running back than last year.” “People say I might lose my mojo. I hope that’s not true.” “When someone grabs my hair, I’m not going to try to break the tackle. It hurt a lot. It’s the most painful thing ever.” “After the (SDSU) game, I went into the locker room and there were like five (dreadlocks) coming out. It was horrible.”
Colin Sandor, OL, Air Force ON WHY IT’S SO DIFFICULT TO DEFEND THE TRIPLE OPTION “It’s tough on defenses if its ran correctly. It’s a lot on the quarterback. The quarterback has to make reads at the line of scrimmage, has to be able to audible into good plays out of bad plays. If it’s done correctly, it can, dependent on where the defense goes, it’s kind of hard to defend because, if they go one way, there’s another option for that play
Mexico ON PLAYING 120 SNAPS AGAINST BOISE STATE IN 2015: “Being out there for 120 plays was actually nice for me because I got hurt against Boise my sophomore year. So coming back after being hurt, then playing the whole season and 120 plays against Boise … it was fun for me.” ON MAKING A BOWL GAME: “A lot of people, they didn’t see us going to a bowl game. And it was our own goal. It was our goal to get there. It was something we were talking about going into the season. But a lot of people didn’t believe it.” “We had a bye-week going into November. And then the bye-week was right before Utah State, Boise, Air Force and Colorado State. And it was going into that point where … we kind of just really sat back and realized that, we’ve got so little games to achieve this goal. And we’ve got the toughest part of our schedule up now.” “It was like everything kind of changed. It was like a light went on. And we were coming out ready to play after that bye-week.”