From the Northern Wyoming Daily News:
LARAMIE (AP) — The similarities are there. The build is almost exactly the same. Both were former high school quarterbacks who made the transition to wide receiver at Wyoming.
Sophomore Travis Burkhalter even has some of the same shifty open field moves.
It’s unfair to expect anybody to duplicate the impact Jovon Bouknight had on the Cowboys during his record-breaking career, but among the current crop of UW wideouts, Burkhalter bears the most striking resemblance.
Just ask Bouknight.
“He has the quicks,” the former UW star and current graduate assistant said. “There’s so much in common with me and Travis, and he’s definitely coming along.”
Burkhalter is not likely to threaten any of Bouknight’s school records, and heading into the season opener against Ohio, he’s not even officially listed as a starter.
But his progression from passer to receiver has sped up considerably since his three-catch, 12-yard true freshman campaign, and Burkhalter’s athleticism on the perimeter has been one of the highlights of fall camp.
“Oh man, I actually feel like a receiver this year,” Burkhalter said. “Last year I was still trying to make that transition from quarterback in high school.
“I think for me this year, I’m just a little bit more mature, studied my playbook a lot harder than I did last year and it’s made a difference.”
How much of a difference Burkhalter can have throughout the fall remains to be seen, mostly because the receiving corps isn’t short on talent.
Leading returner Greg Bolling is a near lock to become a favorite target of quarterback Dax Crum, who’s already hooked up with the junior for a couple memorable catches in the preseason.
But burner Donate Morgan has emerged as a more reliable pass-catcher, sophomore David Leonard appears to be rebounding from offseason groin troubles and freshman Brandon Stewart surprisingly emerged as a starter after the first fall scrimmage.
Then there’s the other guy that stirs memories of Bouknight — provided he can stay healthy.
“Another guy is Chris Johnson,” Bouknight said. “He can do a lot of the shifty stuff that I used to do. It would have to be between Travis and CJ.
“It’s between the two — I would love to say Donate (Morgan), but he’s just so much faster than I am, I can’t get his name in there.”
New offensive coordinator Bob Cole has raved about the speed he inherited across the board at receiver, and his fly-sweep series is designed to take advantage of it.
Whereas Bouknight could take a screen pass and make defenders miss — or drag the tacklers that didn’t — Cole will use motion and handoffs to the receivers to try and get them in space.
But that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable route-runners.
“They’re all definitely coming along,” Bouknight said. “Right now they’re still in their younger stages, and they’ll get better over the years.
“I was fortunate to come onto a great receiving corps while they were already in their later years, and I was fortunate to work for them. These guys have a chance to build another receiver tradition going on.”
Bouknight’s around to keep an eye on the construction.
LARAMIE (AP) — The similarities are there. The build is almost exactly the same. Both were former high school quarterbacks who made the transition to wide receiver at Wyoming.
Sophomore Travis Burkhalter even has some of the same shifty open field moves.
It’s unfair to expect anybody to duplicate the impact Jovon Bouknight had on the Cowboys during his record-breaking career, but among the current crop of UW wideouts, Burkhalter bears the most striking resemblance.
Just ask Bouknight.
“He has the quicks,” the former UW star and current graduate assistant said. “There’s so much in common with me and Travis, and he’s definitely coming along.”
Burkhalter is not likely to threaten any of Bouknight’s school records, and heading into the season opener against Ohio, he’s not even officially listed as a starter.
But his progression from passer to receiver has sped up considerably since his three-catch, 12-yard true freshman campaign, and Burkhalter’s athleticism on the perimeter has been one of the highlights of fall camp.
“Oh man, I actually feel like a receiver this year,” Burkhalter said. “Last year I was still trying to make that transition from quarterback in high school.
“I think for me this year, I’m just a little bit more mature, studied my playbook a lot harder than I did last year and it’s made a difference.”
How much of a difference Burkhalter can have throughout the fall remains to be seen, mostly because the receiving corps isn’t short on talent.
Leading returner Greg Bolling is a near lock to become a favorite target of quarterback Dax Crum, who’s already hooked up with the junior for a couple memorable catches in the preseason.
But burner Donate Morgan has emerged as a more reliable pass-catcher, sophomore David Leonard appears to be rebounding from offseason groin troubles and freshman Brandon Stewart surprisingly emerged as a starter after the first fall scrimmage.
Then there’s the other guy that stirs memories of Bouknight — provided he can stay healthy.
“Another guy is Chris Johnson,” Bouknight said. “He can do a lot of the shifty stuff that I used to do. It would have to be between Travis and CJ.
“It’s between the two — I would love to say Donate (Morgan), but he’s just so much faster than I am, I can’t get his name in there.”
New offensive coordinator Bob Cole has raved about the speed he inherited across the board at receiver, and his fly-sweep series is designed to take advantage of it.
Whereas Bouknight could take a screen pass and make defenders miss — or drag the tacklers that didn’t — Cole will use motion and handoffs to the receivers to try and get them in space.
But that doesn’t mean they aren’t capable route-runners.
“They’re all definitely coming along,” Bouknight said. “Right now they’re still in their younger stages, and they’ll get better over the years.
“I was fortunate to come onto a great receiving corps while they were already in their later years, and I was fortunate to work for them. These guys have a chance to build another receiver tradition going on.”
Bouknight’s around to keep an eye on the construction.
