Hard to believe, but there are under 40 days until the Broncos storm the Capital to take on the Hokies. As you may remember, last summer I embarked on the Herculean task of counting down a different roster spot for each remaining day until kickoff. So far this year, we're batting a thousand, so drop me notes of encouragement now and again so I can find the strength to get through the next couple months without breaking the streak.
We've got 39 days until kickoff...so today we'll be highlighting #39 on the Boise State roster—Drew Wright
#39, Drew Wright, Sophomore, FB
Stats
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 188 lbs.
High School: Vallivue High School, Caldwell, ID
How'd he get to The Blue™?
Wright was a three-year letterman at Caldwell's Vallivue High and earned all-conference or all-state honors every year that he played. As a senior, Wright put up what I like to call "typo" numbers because you swear someone messed up the data entry. But his numbers were legit—in his final season as a Falcon, Wright rushed for 2,434 yards and 23 TDs. For that ridiculous display he was named first-team all-state and all-conference. His junior season also garnered him first-team all-conference honors after he ran for 1,256 yards and 15 touchdowns...not bad, but consider that in his senior season, he had more yards than that through only 5 games! Alas, Wright's pinball numbers weren't enough to get him any big offers and he opted to join the Broncos as a walk-on in 2008.
Nickname
"Mister"
Let that one simmer.
Look-a-like
"Bizarro Kramer" from Seinfeld
Career highlights
Rushing for nearly 4,300 yards in high school. Rushed for 50 yards on only 3 carries in mop-up duty against New Mexico State in 2009.
Career lowlight
No schollies after putting up Tecmo Bowl numbers in high school.
2010 prospectus
There are three things that you can do when facing Paul Bunyan-sized logjam at your position: outplay the others (unlikely when you're facing Doug Martin, Jeremy Avery, DJ Harper, Malcolm Johnson, and Matt Kaiserman), quit (the kid rushed for over 4,000 yards in high school...he doesn't know how to quit), or switch positions. I think I've parenthetically given the reasons why the first two options are off the table and why going into Fall Camp, walk-on Drew Wright is making the switch to fullback. What kind of fullback will he be? The kind that doesn't play much, I'm afraid.
First off, at 5'9" and 188 lbs., Wright is woefully undersized for a fullback. He's obviously got some shake and bake, but doesn't have the bulk to lead block or provide much in the way of extra protection. Secondly, Dan Paul went beast mode on the fullback position in 2009 and he's only a junior, so he'll be the Broncos go-to guy when they use a fullback set. It also doesn't bode well for Wright that linebacker Dave Wilson has decided to add some depth to the FB position. The way I see it, Wright could be a special teams standout, and he should fully embrace it. The kid has talent, but he's simply buried on the depth chart and I think the move to fullback is a token move to free up some reps for the other 18 running backs on the roster (just kiddin'—there's only 17). I expect to see Wright on kickoff teams in 2010, nothing less, nothing more.
Completely NOT made up fact
Wright has the coolest first name in the world.