New Trier Athlete to Watch: Football's Devin Boehm

Keep your head on a swivel, if you’re not paying attention you might miss what Devin Boehm has to say.

It’s not that ’s junior wide receiver is quiet. Quite the opposite. Boehm is happy to share his opinion with his teammates, but makes his point quickly. Long-form speeches he leaves to the seasoned seniors on the team.

Though any filibuster at practice may not be in Boehm’s future, he’s determined to speak volumes with his play on the field.

And Boehm got off to a quick start in Aug. 26’s 22-17 loss to Schaumburg when he carried the ball six times for over 100 yards in his first ever varsity game.

“I wasn’t expecting to get as many rushes compared to receptions but it’s the same thing once you get the ball in your hands—just trying to create and get yards,” Boehm said.

He may not have been the only one surprised to see a wide receiver get the ball so many times in the run game.

But it’s a decided effort by head coach Dan Starkey and his staff to become more multi-dimensional. This offseason the Trevians’ coaching staff made a decided effort to expand their playbook on both sides of the ball.

Specifically Starkey said he wanted to create more ways to get the ball to the perimeter. Jet sweeps (the play Boehm ran) provide New Trier that opportunity. Boehm’s success now forces Trevian opponents to account for it in their game planning.

“Devin had a pretty good night Friday night with that and I think it expands our offensive capabilities when we can attack the field in different dimensions,” Starkey said.

Easing the nerves

Boehm wasn’t afraid to admit when he saw the massive crowd on hand to watch last Friday’s game he was nervous.

He admitted the butterflies were pretty intense. But once the ball was kicked off that all went away. He credits his coaches with orchestrating a great summer of workouts that gave him the confidence to perform at a high level early in the season.

“Our coaches and we did a good job really getting a lot of reps between me and Jack [Nykaza] and the other quarterbacks,” Boehm said. “So we really got a good feel working on certain routes and our timing just to do the best we can and get everything ready for the game.”

The Starkey Mold

As much as Starkey loves seeing Boehm catch the football, watching the junior catch a baseball takes a close second.

Boehm plays outfield for the Trevians baseball team and played on the varsity team during summer baseball.

Starkey always stresses to his players the need to play another sport outside of football season. Each of the Trevian football players who have been profiled as Patch Athletes to Watch are multiple sport athletes. Starkey points to Boehm’s experience in other competitive arenas as a reason he has been able to adjust so well to the varsity level.

“He’s adjusted very well,” Starkey said. “He’s a good athlete. He works hard. He really worked hard in the offseason in the weight room. He’s a multiple sport athlete and we look to build our program around multiple sport athletes.”

Baseball can wait until the spring for Boehm.

He remains focused on what he anticipates will be a successful season for the Trevians on the offensive side of the ball. Friday excited him.

 “The first game was great,” Boehm said. “I shouldn’t expect something like that every game. But if I can just continue to work hard and do my best, I think stuff like that will come.

“When I get the ball I want to do the most I can and make every time I touch the ball valuable.”