Sunday, January 27, 2013
Boise State lands a former BYU commit
By Erik McKinney
Boise State added to its 2013 recruiting class over the weekend, as the Broncos landed a verbal commitment from a wide receiver on an official visit.
When Tanner Shipley (Wilsonville, Ore./Wilsonville) committed to BYU early last summer, he realized fairly quickly that he rushed into a decision. This time around, Shipley knew there was no mistake.
On an official visit to Boise State, the 6-foot-2, 176-pound receiver committed to head coach Chris Petersen. While the commitment took place on Sunday, Shipley knew early on in the visit what the result would be.
"When I got there, it blew me away," Shipley said of Boise State. "Coach Petersen runs one of the best programs in the country and there is so much he does that makes his players grow in four or five years. He is a strong guy in that sense and has a presence to him that is really cool. When I got there, I felt like I was family already. I felt like it was the right fit. My gut feeling told me it was the perfect place."
Shipley said he talked over the decision with his family on Saturday night and went into a meeting with Petersen ready to announce his decision. But Shipley was met by a surprise, and another reason he knew he made the right decision.
"After I told him, he asked me why I wanted to become a Bronco," Shipley said. "That really hit me. He doesn't just want me for the football player. He wants me for me. That's one of the coolest things and why he's making kids become better in every aspect."
Shipley, who rushed 139 times for 1,392 yards and 17 touchdowns, and caught 16 passes for 328 yards and two scores as a senior, will head to Boise State as a wide receiver and believes he will fit in very well on the field with the Broncos. He said Boise State looks for five aspects in a wide receiver -- including versatility, speed and quickness -- and Shipley believes he can fill every requirement.
"Now I'm excited to go in and learn the offense," Shipley said. "I'm 100-percent committed to Boise State."
Shipley is commitment No. 24 for Boise State's 2013 class and the third wide receiver recruit.
