BOISE, Idaho — At 6’4, 220 pounds, Boise State University safety JL Skinner is hard to miss.
The San Diego native enters his junior season in Boise as one of the leaders of the Broncos defense, eager to improve on a sophomore season in which he felt like he left more out there on the table.
“A lot of those things didn’t go the way that I planned for it to go. So really that’s my motivation, having to come out here and be different than I was last year, because I’d say last year wasn’t what I expected from myself, at all. These coaches have been helping me get my mental right. I know the type of player that I can be and I know the type of player that the team needs me to be,” said Skinner.
Last fall, he made six starts, compiling 37 tackles and his first career interception. JL is his own biggest critic, and upon completion of last year’s season, instead of going home for the holidays, he stayed here in Boise. While in the City of Trees, he spent time working out and reflecting on what he could have done better
“As of now, I realized all of the things I could've done last year that I didn't do, possibly because of my confidence. I wasn't as confident as I am now. That's why I did what I did this offseason. As soon as the season ended, I didn't go home for Christmas break. I didn't go anywhere for Christmas break. I'm from California, but I stayed in Boise and I got straight to work. I really started reflecting on myself and looking at everything I could have done differently. I know the type of player that I am and I have confidence in myself now and I realized what I could have done differently back then," Skinner said.
Skinner's work ethic has impressed Boise State safeties coach Kane Ioane.
"The thing that I love about JL is that he has the desire, and that's such a big piece of that thing. He's not just resting on his laurels, he's not just physically gifted and I'm going to go out here and do my thing, he understands that it takes hard work," said Boise State safeties coach Kane Ioane.
Skinner said he tries to exemplify the same physical style and presence that former Seahawks all-pro safety Kam Chancellor played with while in Seattle.
“That’s really who I want to be like right there. Just all around the ball, making plays around the ball. Hard-hitting, solid tackler. Doing things like that, that’s really who I try to model my game after,” Skinner said.
Skinner will team with fellow senior safeties Kekaula Kaniho and Tyreque Jones to form a veteran back-end full of leadership and play-making ability between the three.
“It makes it way easier on me. Having Tyreque and Kekaula back there, it makes my job way easy,” he said. "Those dudes are smart football players. They know a lot of ball, they’ve both been here for a while, so I still ask them for help every day. Being able to communicate is way easier with them, because they’re always ahead of everything and that pushes me to want to be like them and see things before they happen."
Skinner has a special bond with the both of them, especially Jones, who he calls a big brother off the field.
“We are like yin and yang, off the field I like to mess with him, but when we are on the field, it’s strictly business," he explained. "On the field, we are trying to compete and communicate, because on the field, we are really trying to rely on each other. With our back-end right now, we have a lot of camaraderie around it. We are always on the same page. Off the field, he’s a guy I’ve always looked up to and always a guy I’ve gone to for advice,."
Skinner credits head coach Andy Avalos and the new Boise State coaching staff to getting his confidence level back to an all-time high.
“Just being humble and hungry. I want to follow coach’s plan for me and be the best player that I can be. Be the best teammate for my team and be a guy that they can rely on. Keeping that humble and hungry mentality and pushing forward, always something to get better at every day,” Skinner said.
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