Q and A: Football Player Aaron Boyce
Recent season-ending injury doesn't erase accomplishments for Eastern record-breaking senior from Kent, Wash.
By Keenan Bowen, EWU Sports Information
Photo by Keith Currie (http://www.keithcurriephoto.com)
After watching former Eastern Washington University All-America wide receiver Eric Kimble while redshirting as a true freshman in 2005, Aaron Boyce set some goals. Boyce, now a senior, wanted to get as close as possible to breaking the records Kimble set as an Eagle.
Fast forward to 2009, and it's mission accomplished for Boyce, a 2005 graduate of Kentwood High School in Kent, Wash.
Boyce spent the last four years making it a reality, steadily climbing Eastern's record book in just about every receiving category. Boyce is second all-time in pass receptions (222), pass reception yards (3,330), and touchdown receptions (28), and his catch total ranks sixth in Big Sky Conference history as well. All 28 of his touchdown receptions have come for fellow four-year starter Matt Nichols, who has already broken EWU's career total offense and passing yardage records.
Kimble holds school and league records for career yards (4,140) and touchdowns (46), and is second all-time in league history in catches (school-record 253).
Unfortunately, Boyce's college career ended two weeks ago after suffering a ruptured left Achilles tendon late in the game against Montana on Oct. 17, and he underwent surgery three days later. Ironically, Kimble suffered a similar fate with an Achilles tendon injury as a rookie at a Miami Dolphins mini-camp in spring 2006.
A large group of Eastern players, including Boyce, will return to the Puget Sound area this week when the Eastern Washington University football team hosts Portland State Saturday (Oct. 31) in the "Showdown on the Sound" at Qwest Field in Seattle, Wash. Eastern enters the game 5-3 overall and 4-2 in the Big Sky Conference, while the Vikings are 2-6 overall and 1-4 in the league. Kickoff is set for 1:05 p.m., as 17 Eagle seniors will be honored in pre-game ceremonies.
Q: How does it feel to be in the record book behind Eagle great Eric Kimble?
A: "It's pretty cool to have ended my career behind Eric. He was obviously a great player, and someone I looked up to during my redshirt year. My goal was to try to break his records, so getting close is pretty exciting."
Q: What is your relationship like with quarterback Matt Nichols?
A: "Matt and I are obviously pretty close. He's one of my best friends off the field, and I think that translates into making us better players on the field since we both rely on each other a lot. We both came in together trying to fill the shoes left by (Erik) Meyer and Kimble, and I think that common goal made us such good friends to start with. Matt is a heck of a quarterback and I had a ton of fun playing with him, and I'm sure we will be great friends even after football. My only regret is that I got hurt before I could throw him a touchdown pass."
Q: How about your relationship with former Eagle basketball star and current Detroit Piston Rodney Stuckey -- what have you learned from him?
A: "Rodney and I have been friends for a long time, since the fourth grade. He's one of my best friends and we have had some great times together and we are still very close. If I had to say one thing I have learned from him it would be his work ethic. He does a ton of work behind closed doors."
Q: What are your hopes for your future?
A: "Obviously I would love to play football as long as I can. So I will see where football takes me once I get healthy. After that I'm not too sure, I love the game of football and would maybe like to coach one day."
Q: In his Q&A on GoEags.com a couple weeks ago, Matt Nichols claimed Xbox 360 dominance when it comes to playing you. Your rebuttal?
A: "I would love to clear the air about this! We do play a ton of video games after and before practice. Matt did beat me once at Madden, but that is only because I was taking it easy on him. Matt will cry like a girl if you beat him and start pouting, so of course I can't have my quarterback mad at me going into Saturdays. Lets just say if there was a green jacket for Tiger Woods PGA Tour, I'd be wearing it. Matt, Jeff Minnerly and Nate Overbay are bitter because I don't know too much about golf and still beat them. You know, I'm on top if Matt has to take shots at me in a Q&A!"
Q: You were equally impressive playing basketball in high school, with you and Rodney helping Kentwood to a State Championship. What led you to choose football in college?
A: "It's pretty weird how that worked out. I played basketball growing up, and only played football my senior year in high school. I received so much recruiting attention after one year of playing I just figured I might be better at football than basketball. I do miss basketball a lot though."
Q: What do you think has separated you from just being an average football player? And at what point did you feel you made that jump?
A: "Honestly, I think I just worked myself to it. There were times my redshirt year where Matt and I would be outside in the snow running routes. I'm a believer that you get out what you put into things, and I sacrificed a lot and just put my all into football. It took a little bit of luck too -- I was fortunate enough to stay healthy for a long time and was able to not miss any games up to this point. I would probably say I felt the change during the 2007 season. That's when it all started to click and the game slowed down."
Q: Do you have a favorite route?
A: "My favorite route would probably have to be a post."
Q: Out of all the underclassmen on the team, which player has the chance to be the next elite Eastern wide receiver?
A: "Honestly I think they all have a ton of potential. Each has their own things they are good at. I think it's going to be about which one puts in the most work in the off seasons to come, and who can prove they can be trusted to make plays the soonest."
Q: Do you have anything else to add?
A: "I would really like to thank all of the people from EWU and my coaches, and especially my teammates, for their support, phone calls and emails after my injury against Montana. It has really meant a lot to me over the past couple weeks and I appreciate it a lot."
