Coming off injury, Boise State receiver excited to prove himself, play with best friend

Motivation has never been an issue for Boise State wide receiver Latrell Caples, but he said he’s more excited to be on the field this year than he has been in a long time.

After missing all of last season with a torn Achilles tendon, he’s eager to return to the form he showed in 2022, when he led the Broncos with 51 catches and 549 receiving yards.

“I’m proving myself every day,” Caples told reporters at practice in late March. “It’s a blessing getting out there with the guys and knocking the rust off. It’s about proving to myself that I’m still the guy I was and I can be even better.”

Caples, a fifth-year senior with at least one year of eligibility left, admitted there were moments during his rehab that made him question whether he wanted to play football anymore. He said he leaned on his teammates and his faith to get through it.

“Being around all of this helped me improve my feelings and my depression,” he said. “You’ve got to be grateful for everything you do around this football stuff because you never know when it’s going to get taken away.”

This former Boise State quarterback transferred to the SEC. Will he start this season?

The 6-foot, 190-pound slot receiver is athletic and shifty. He’s quick enough to be a problem to cover one-on-one and he’s shown the ability to be a deep threat, Boise State wide receivers coach Matt Miller said.

Caples said he has the “secret recipe” to fix what was missing last season when Boise State ranked No. 6 in the Mountain West with only 221.3 passing yards a game.

He gave his teammates a glimpse of what they can expect this season in practice Tuesday when he hauled in a deep touchdown pass from former USC quarterback Malachi Nelson.

“I bring the energy, leadership, playmaking (ability) and everything we need in that room,” Caples said. “We were missing that last year. I’m going to bring intensity and everything we need in that room just so we can be successful.”

Reunited receivers for Broncos

Caples is also excited to play with his lifelong best friend this year. He said he’s known new Boise State wide receiver Cam Camper since they were 6 years old. They grew up together in Lancaster, Texas, and played for the same high school football team.

Camper transferred to Boise State this year after spending the past two seasons at Indiana, where he caught 63 passes for 854 yards and three touchdowns. He began his college career as a walk-on at Sam Houston State and spent a year at Trinity Valley Community College in Texas before joining the Hoosiers.

“It’s a blessing to have him here because he’s going to be a game changer, just like that guy out there,” Caples said, pointing out a window in the Bleymaier Center to the field in Albertsons Stadium, where fellow newcomer Chris Marshall was getting some extra work in with .

How do salaries of Boise State football coaches stack up in Mountain West, Group of Five?

Marshall, a 6-3, 208-pound receiver from Kilgore College in Texas, was a five-star recruit coming out of high school and was the No. 1 junior college recruit in the country this year, according to 247Sports. He’s on the field with Caples this spring.

Camper still is not practicing as he recovers from knee surgery he had last November, but he is expected to be ready in time for fall camp, Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said. The 6-3, 203-pounder has the size to line up as an outside receiver, and he runs crisp enough routes to also be a problem in the slot, Miller said.

Caples said his best friend is going to put his all into getting back on the field and making his time on The Blue memorable.

“His motivation is just like mine,” Caples said. “We’re out here every day, and having him here motivates me even more.”

Boise State’s latest recruit has special ‘family’ connection to a former NFL superstar

Notes from spring practice

▪ The Broncos’ passing game has looked like a work in progress at times this spring, but Nelson has shown a knack for hitting deep throws, including Caples’ long touchdown on Tuesday. Wide receiver Austin Bolt made an acrobatic, diving catch on a deep ball, and Marshall has managed to keep his feet in bounds on a couple of deep passes near the sideline. Redshirt freshman tight end Matt Wagner went up and corralled a high pass for a touchdown on Tuesday.

▪ Nelson is listed at 6-3, 190 pounds on the Broncos’ roster, and whoever weighed him that day may have been feeling generous. The former five-star recruit has an undeniably talented arm, but he needs to pack on some weight if he’s going to survive the physical toll the season takes on quarterbacks.

▪ Quarterback Maddux Madsen is already moving around better than just about anyone expected. The redshirt sophomore underwent knee surgery last November, but he is taking part in individual workouts and 7-on-7 sessions this spring. He’s rolling out and planting on that injured leg to deliver throws.

He isn’t expected to be fully cleared until fall camp begins in August, but Madsen’s rehab appears ahead of schedule, and Danielson said he could be ready to assume a larger role before spring practice ends. Boise State’s spring game is scheduled for April 20.

▪ Safeties Ty Benefield and Cole Miller, linebacker Andrew Simpson and cornerback Jeremiah Earby snagged interceptions on Tuesday. Earby, a transfer from Cal, has been impressive this spring. He has multiple interceptions to his credit, and he could be the early favorite to start opposite last season’s interception leader, A’Marion McCoy. Miller is a walk-on from Bishop Kelly High School.

▪ Continuing a trend started by star running back Ashton Jeanty, freshman Sire Gaines looks physically ready to see some snaps early this season. The 6-foot, 208-pound running back from Perris, California, has been strong and explosive in practice. He posted 3,050 rushing yards during his career at Orange Vista High in California, and he could be putting himself in line in a crowded backfield.

Jeanty, who was chiseled when he first stepped on campus, was named Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year last season after leading the Broncos with 1,347 rushing yards and 19 total touchdowns.