It may have taken a while, but LSU wide receiver Kadron Boone has arrived, and he is not going anywhere.
Four games into his junior campaign, Boone has posted better numbers than he did the previous two seasons combined, with seven receptions for 144 yards and three touchdowns.
“As a receiver, you have to be patient and wait your turn,” said senior wide receiver Russell Shepard. “That’s what [Boone’s] doing, and it’s showing because he’s a very talented player.”
But Boone’s success did not come without a challenge.
The Florida native had what he considered an underwhelming start to his collegiate career, catching 11 passes for 134 yards in his first two seasons at LSU.
Boone had nearly run out of patience by the end of last year. Just days after the Tigers’ 21-0 loss to Alabama in the BCS Championship Game, rumors of his seemingly imminent transfer began to circulate.
“Sophomore year, that’s when it really started getting to me,” Boone said about his frustrations as an underclassman. “It was a tough time. I guess I wasn’t happy.”
But after much deliberation with his coaches and his teammates, Boone chose to stay at LSU, a decision he now looks back on without regret.
“After thinking about it long and hard and praying about it, I felt that my best decision was to stay here,” Boone said. “…I’m happy to be a Tiger this year.”
Boone cited his chemistry with LSU junior quarterback Zach Mettenberger as one of the factors leading to his recent success. The connection between the two became apparent early this season, as Boone caught Mettenberger’s first three touchdown passes.
Mettenberger has had confidence in Boone’s abilities since they started playing together.
“A lot of guys counted him out early on, and I don’t really understand why,” Mettenberger said. “He’s really shown people that he can play this game and be a really effective playmaker for us.”
In a season that has seen much of LSU’s receiving corps struggle with dropped passes, Mettenberger seems to have found a consistent receiver in Boone, who has yet to drop a pass this season and leads the Tigers with an average of 20.6 yards per reception.
Boone’s performance on Saturday played a significant role in LSU’s victory at Auburn, where he led the Tigers with three receptions for 49 yards.
Perhaps the biggest play of Boone’s career came with a little more than eight minutes remaining in the third quarter, when he made a tough back-shoulder grab for a 29-yard gain. The reception put LSU on Auburn’s 22-yard line, setting it up for the go-head and eventual game-winning field goal.
“Instinct told me to turn around quick, and when I turned around the ball was there,” Boone said. “…The team needed a big play, and I was just blessed that I could come through and make that big play for them.”
Looking forward, Boone wants to improve his play and eventually earn a regular starting spot by making the most out of every play.
“I want to show the coaches that I can be one of those guys they can count on when we need a big catch,” Boone said.
