In Position: Filling Up the Room Amps Up Competition

Calendar

Show:/

Sep 5

4:00 PM

Football

vs Wyoming

Sep 12

5:00 PM

Football

vs Southern Utah

Sep 19

5:30 PM

Football

vs BYU

Sep 26

TBA

Football

at UTSA

Oct 3

4:00 PM

Football

vs Oregon State

Wide Receivers

Who's Back: Justus Ross-Simmons, Louis Brown IV, Tory Horton, Dawson Menegatti, Matt Greenwald, Dane Olson, Mekhi Fox

Who's New: Dylan Goffney, Silas Evans, Lavon Brown, Stephon Daily, Caleb Goodie, Jamari Person

Key Number: Horton caught 71 passes for 1,131 yards and eight touchdowns in 2022, including five games with at least 100 receiving yards. Ross-Simmons, a freshman last season, proved to be a good second option with 424 receiving yards and three touchdowns of his own.

What Happened: Jay Norvell's Air Raid offense didn't quite get to the start they would have liked, but Horton catapulted himself into being one of the top receivers in the country. Lacking depth at both receiver and offensive line, the passing game struggled, but there is a clear connection between Horton and Clay Millen to be built upon this season.

From the Top: Norvell and receivers coach Chad Savage have high expectations for their star wideout. On top of being a first teamer in the Mountain West, they want Horton to become an NFL draft pick.

The lofty goals are not out of the question for Horton, who has been included on the 2023 preseason watchlists of the Hornung, Biletnikoff and Maxwell Awards in addition to his preseason All-Mountain West selection.

In addition to the work Horton has put in over the offseason, a variety of other improvements will be of aid to him and the rest of the receivers. Overhauls at receiver, tight end and offensive line are what coaches hope to be a difference maker for the Air Raid.

"We've added a few guys with the recruiting class and the transfer portal, so it's nice to have some depth and it's a new year," Savage said. "Now it's a clean slate, so everyone's gotta earn their job."

Now, in a receiver room which is full -- and expectantly skilled -- it's game on as far as what roles will be played by which players. Being a first-teamer one week during camp or during the season doesn't guarantee a spot on the first team the next week.

The receiving core's depth is a good problem for Savage to have. Some of the younger pass-catchers from last season have grown both physically and from a maturity standpoint. According to Savage, guys like Ross-Simmons and Brown have matured greatly over the summer.

"I think the best thing about freshmen is they become sophomores," Savage said. "So, they get a whole year under their belt. They had opportunities to play last year, so they've learned a lot in our scheme. They've had a great summer in the weight room and with captain's practices, so now we've gotta take advantage of those reps."

From the Room: Depth breeds competition, and competition breeds greatness.

Because of that, even Horton knows his starting spot is not guaranteed, and he's OK with being challenged. In fact, he told his teammates: "my position's not free, and if one of y'all feel like you guys could take it, I want you guys to take it."

His challenge to his teammates shows where his leadership and maturity levels are during fall camp, which are exactly where they need to be as a veteran Mountain West receiver, especially with guys in his room much younger than him.

For Horton and the wide receiver corps, it's all about pushing each other to their limits. And with a younger presence at the position, one of the big teaching points during camp has been keeping the concentration as high as possible.

"(We need to improve) our mental focus, you know, going out there and knowing everybody's alignment and assignment," Horton said. "There's going to be some times we're not on the same page with the quarterbacks, which is just something we've gotta dial in and communicate with the quarterbacks about.

"(Communication is) something we've tried to work on and we're still working on it now. It's been improving since last year and during the summer, so that's a good note."

Calendar

Upcoming Events

Recent Results