Brian Boatman

Wyoming

Sep 20 (Sat)

8:15 p.m.

Position:
Tight End
Height:
6-3
Weight:
220
Class:
Freshman
Hometown:
Centennial, Colo.
High School:
Kent Denver

AT COLORADO: 2016 (Jr./Sr.)—He saw action in three games (Idaho State, Oregon State and Arizona) and dressed for 10 overall including the Alamo Bowl; he did not record any statistics. Prior to the start of the season, he opted to graduate in four years and played as a senior, though he had two years of eligibility remaining.

2015 (Soph.)—He saw action in one game (Nicholls State) and dressed for two others. He ended the spring listed fourth at tight end; he caught one pass (for 3 yards) in the main spring scrimmage action.

2014 (Fr.)—He did not see any action (he did dress for the season opener against Colorado State); he practiced the entire fall at tight end and has scout team duties as well. He enrolled at CU as a true freshman for the fall 2013 semester and joined the team as a walk-on for spring drills.

HIGH SCHOOL—He earned 2A All-State honors at tight end and first-team All-Colorado League honors from the Denver Post, recognized at three positions for the latter (TE, defensive end and punter); he was also the league’s defensive player of the year. As a junior, he garnered first-team All-Conference honors on both offense and defense. As a senior, he caught 18 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 16.9 yards per catch; on defense (end), he racked up 71 tackles (56 solo), 19 of which were for losses including eight quarterback sacks. He had an interception (which he returned 37 yards for a touchdown), broke up six passes, forced four fumbles and recovered two (returning one for a score). He also handled his team’s punting chores, averaging 41.4 yards for 25 punts, with a long of 62 (four traveled 50-plus yards). As a junior, he caught 14 balls for 227 yards and four TDs (16.2 per), with 58 tackles on defense (44 solo, eight four losses with four sacks); he added three pass deflections and two forced fumbles. In limited time as a sophomore, he caught three passes for 58 yards, with five tackles and two passes broken up on defense. For his career, he had 37 receptions for 590 yards (16.9 per) with nine scores, with 134 total tackles. One of his top career games came in the 2A state championship win over Platte Valley as a senior: he caught three passes for 44 yards and touchdown, averaged 40.0 yards on five punts, and racked up 11 tackles on defense, a number that included eight solo, four for losses and three sacks in the 28-17 win. In a 49-35 win over Strasburg, he had three catches for 75 yards and a score. Under coach Scott Yates, Kent Denver was 13-0 his senior year (2A state champs) and 11-2 his junior season and 10-3 his sophomore campaign; Kent was the three-time Colorado League champion during his time there, posting a 15-0 record in conference play. He lettered twice in basketball (power forward, his junior and senior years); he recorded three double-doubles and averaged 9.3 points as a senior in earning first-team All-Conference honors and honorable mention All-State accolades when Kent also claimed the league title). He also lettered once in baseball (as a senior, first base).

ACADEMICS—He is majoring in Economics at Colorado, as well as pursuing a minor in Business.

PERSONAL—He was born September 20, 1994 in Littleton, Colo. His hobbies include playing most sports and spending time with friends. His father, Bill, was an assistant coach on his high school staff and was also his head baseball coach. His grandfather (Jim Liley) played football at the University of Denver; a cousin, Joe Liley, lettered four years on the CU golf team, with his brother, Tim, lettering as a wide receiver at the University of Nebraska. Another cousin, Adam Strecker, was a tight end for the Air Force Academy. Also in his bloodlines are Don DeLuzio, a distant cousin who was a linebacker for CU in the mid-1980s, and the late Jim Burris, who was at one time the general manager of Denver Broncos and the longstanding president and GM of the Denver Bears (baseball).