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| 10-02-2003 | Previous edition: 10-01-2003 |
        
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Printer-friendly version Stubblefield puts Boilers in sure hands
Staff Writer Catching is a skill. The last two years nobody has done it more often than junior wide receiver Taylor Stubblefield. Surprisingly though, Stubblefield, who had the third highest single-game reception total in Purdue history with 16 earlier this year, isn't even playing his favorite sport. Stubblefield came out of Davis High School in Yakima, Wash., and was voted as the best senior athlete in Washington. He was first team all-state as a senior in both basketball and football. He averaged 20 points per game as a senior in basketball. "(Basketball) is probably my (favorite sport)," said Stubblefield. "But definitely now that I have played football for so many years, I want to have a lot of success at it and I'm going to work hard at it. "I guess it's a toss-up (now)." Stubblefield chose to play football in college because only the elite players get drafted into the NBA, while the NFL has more players and more chances for up-and- coming athletes to earn a roster spot. "He's a very impressive receiver," said Bob DeBesse, wide receivers coach. "I think one of the things that is most impressive about Taylor is that he really studies his opponents and he has a good understanding about coverages. I've been very impressed and pleased with Taylor." Since being at Purdue, Stubblefield's performance has impressed more than just DeBesse. In the previous two seasons he compiled 150 catches for almost 1,700 yards and two touchdowns. Then starting this season, Stubblefield caught a career-high 16 passes against Bowling Green. Having so many receptions, it’s clear that Stubblefield brings a great ability to the field. "I think his sure hands (are his best abilities)," said DeBesse. "He's blessed with the ability to catch a football and catch a ball in clutch situations. He takes tremendous pride in being a clutch receiver." Being the voted the best senior athlete in Washington, Stubblefield had a lot of choices of where to attend college. "It came down to Washington State and Purdue," said Stubblefield. "They have similar offenses but Purdue at the time was more of a nationally known program. I wanted to do something new; most of the people where I come from go to Washington or Washington State. I wanted to come to the Big Ten." His first season playing for the Boilers, Stubblefield got a matchup with the other school he was deciding between; unfortunately he and his team were unsuccessful in beating them. "Yeah it was (hard to lose to Washington State in the 2001 Sun Bowl), 'cause you go back home and that's all you hear about is that game," said Stubblefield. "The only good thing about that is that I had a halfway decent game. The losing part really sucked but we came back the next year and got a Washington school." Stubblefield's performance against the Cougars was impressive. He had 12 receptions for 196 yards and two touchdowns, a career high. He also had a career-long reception of 65 yards in that game. Something Stubblefield has struggled with is injuries, which have hampered his playing time. Last year, Stubblefield missed three games due to a skull fracture and earlier this year he injured a leg tendon while playing against Wake Forest. The injuries have slowed him slightly physically, but even they cannot stop him from doing what he does best, catching passes. Printer-friendly version |
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