Boise State numerical roster countdown 2015: Day 87, Alec Dhaenens

We continue in our countdown with another TE, big body Alec Dhaenens at number 87.

#87, Alec Dhaenens, RS Sophomore, TE

Stats

Height: 6’3"
Weight: 237 lbs
High School: Fruitland High School, Fruitland, ID

How’d he get to the Blue™?

By way of the Fruitland Pipeline, ‘cause that is a thing and all. First it was JoeMart and Alec, then Garrett Larson followed suit. 3 makes a pipeline, right? That or oil, one of the two.

He helped lead Fruitland to 3 state titles at the 3A level, losing to Shelley his final year. His senior season was cut short by injury, but caught 20 passes for 452 yards and six touchdowns as a junior. He had numerous accolades through his career at Fruitland, including All-Snake River Valley and first team all-state his junior year. He was listed as a 3-star TE by all major recruiting sites and received offers from Nevada and Washington State. I think he merely allowed them to send him offers out of pity.

Nickname

"Grizz"
I have to tell you, and you’ve probably figured it out already, but I’m incredibly terrible at coming up with creative nicknames for these guys…

Look-a-like

I thought Chris Pine was pretty close. Just imagine dark features and you're good. I also got a ginormous image so you could still see it from space.

Career Highlights

Dhaenens high school career was, by all accounts, stellar—winning 3 state titles as well as garnering all-state and all league honors along the way. While at Boise State, he received the Ultimate OSG (Ostrich Sandwich Guru) as a freshman, awarded by then strength Coach Socha. He played in all 14 games as a redshirt freshman. While he caught just two passes, they were both for touchdowns. That’s a pretty bold statement to be able to say; "Every pass I’ve caught in college went for a touchdown."

2015 Prospectus

As it has been already written, the tight end position is LOADED with talent. We’re talking bacon, chives, sour cream, cheese and MORE BACON LOADED. Fortunately for Dhaenens, I think he’s in a good position to see the field plenty this fall. With Roh playing insane as a RS Frosh last season, I expect Roh to be our lead receiving TE, but Roh has some work to do on blocking. While Dhaenens has only made two catches, I feel he is a more well rounded TE than Roh is at this point. None of this is to say Dhaenens will go beastmode this season, but I think he’s primed to break out. But he better do so quickly. Veterans Hardee and Huff will state their case and Blakley, Pistone and Lucero will want to make their marks as well.

Is he on Twitter?

Indeed he is. Seems kind of intense to me…

Pain is nothing compared to what it feels like to quit.

— Alec Dhaenens (@alecdhaenens98) May 18, 2015

Completely made up fact

While in high school, Alec would spend his summers at a monastery in Mexico secretly training to be a luchador by the name El Oso Grande, though it was forbidden. His trials and tribulations eventually inspired the film Nacho Libre, though he was upset because he never ate that many chips while he was down there.