Hard to believe, but there are under 30 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 28 days until kickoff...so today we'll be highlighting #28 on the Boise State roster—Jarvis Hodge
#28, Jarvis Hodge, Senior, RB
Stats
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 203 lbs.
High School: Mercersburg Academy, Mercersburg, PA
How'd he get to The Blue™?
At Mercersburg Academy, Hodge was named team MVP after he led the team to a Mid-Atlantic Prep League championship by rushing for over 1,000 yards and 13 touchdowns. Prior to playing at Mercersburg, Hodge played ball at Mountain Point High School in Phoenix, where he was named all-region as a tailback after rushing for 1,180 yards on 110 carries (10.7 YPC), and all-state at cornerback. Boise State was the only school to offer Hodge.
Nickname
"Merril"
Jarvis' game has nothing in common with the Pocatello legend, but hey, they're both running backs, right?
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Look-a-like
King of Queens actor Victor Williams.
Career highlights
Rushed for 135 yards on 22 carries as a freshman in 2007. Played in 8 games for the Broncos in 2008. Played in 8 games in 2009 and finished with 102 yards on just 21 carries.
Career lowlight
Being stuck behind Ian Johnson, Jeremy Avery, Doug Martin, and DJ Harper from the beginning of his career.
2010 prospectus
Yikes. Hodge has a long year ahead of him.
Conservatively, Hodge would be considered 4th on the running back depth chart, though he may be 6th. It's really depends on the situation. Considering that Malcolm Johnson is battling some academic issues this Fall and Matt Kaiserman is battling some leg issues, I suppose you'd have to say that Hodge currently fits in somewhere behind Doug Martin, Jeremy Avery, and DJ Harper, but that means that his carries this season will be few and far between and mainly relegated to garbage time—basically the same as it's been for the last 3 seasons.
Hodge is not a bad running back by any stretch, and you have to admire the fact that he's quietly kept grinding away since his freshman season. It's just that he's not as fast, elusive, or really just as good as the aforementioned trio...and the other Fall ball holdouts are probably more likely to get the call in a pinch as well. Hodge actually got the least amount of carries (12) in 2008 and broke the 20 carry plane in 2007 and 2009, so I think in 2010 he'll get somewhere between 15 and 25 carries in an ideal situation. He's still managed to be quite productive in garbage time, and I think he's benefited from the fact that we're usually in run-out-the-clock mode (and prevent a Mike Coughlin turnover mode). The fact remains...as good as Hodge is, he isn't one of our top backs and there is little room for extra carries in a backfield as stacked as the Broncos'. I hope that his senior year can end on a high note and he's asked to give a Brett Denton-like curtain call—he deserves the recognition for all his hard work and dedication.
Completely made up fact
Hodge gets 5 o'clock shadow at 11 o'clock sharp.