Spring Conversation: Jake Bobo

DURHAM, N.C. – With Duke's third consecutive bowl win secured and the 2018 Walk-On's Independence Bowl trophy proudly on display in the Yoh Football Center, the Blue Devils have turned the page to the 2019 campaign.

Throughout February, GoDuke.com will sit down with members of the program and look at how each is preparing for spring practice, which begins March 1.

For the third edition, GoDuke.com caught up with rising sophomore wide receiver Jake Bobo. A Belmont, Mass., native, Bobo played in all 13 games as a true freshman in 2018. He finished the year with 10 receptions for 167 yards (16.70) and one touchdown, against Temple in the Walk-On's Independence Bowl.

GoDuke.com: We are quickly approaching your first spring practice session at Duke. What are you most looking forward to in that?
Jake Bobo: “Right now, I'm looking to get with our new receivers, Eli [Pancol] and Darrell [Harding Jr.], and also building relationships with the guys who are coming back like Damond [Philyaw-Johnson], [Scott Bracey], Aaron [Young] and, of course, the kids in my class. I'm just looking to get better.

“Last fall, during the season, I was kind of clawing my way, just looking to get some playing time. Now, it's about improving everything, especially the little things like route running, and, of course, my hands. I'm excited to get in there with the guys and Coach [Trooper] Taylor as well.”

GoDuke.com: What have some of the older guys told you in order to help you prepare for the spring?
JB: “I've heard it's a mini version of fall camp. Our coaches are looking to see improvement. Of course, you want to see improvement in yourself and in your teammates as well. For me, I'm just looking to get going and get better, improve my craft and do anything I can do to improve on the field this coming summer and fall.”

GoDuke.com: Knowing that three-year starting quarterback Daniel Jones is gone, how do you work with the current quarterbacks to feel comfortable before August gets here?
JB: “I'm not sure it's going to be a huge issue because Quentin [Harris], Gunnar [Holmberg] and Chris [Katrenick] have been around. Especially for me, I was working with those quarterbacks on the second and third teams.

“I know for the kids in my class, myself included, it's not going to be a huge issue, just because Quentin and the other guys have gotten in reps. We're just looking to build the relationship with those guys that we had with Daniel. Of course, Daniel will be tough to replace, but I think Quentin, Gunnar or Chris, whoever steps in, will do a great job.”

GoDuke.com: You played in every game last fall and got your first career touchdown in the Walk-On's Independence Bowl to end your season. What did it mean to play that much as a true freshman and gain all of that experience?
JB: “It was really cool. Coming in, I didn't know what to expect. I kind of worked my way in there, thanks to a lot of the older guys and their help. It was a cool experience. I'm just looking to use that to build this year and then my last two years.

“Honestly, last year was really just a learning experience. I was learning under T.J. [Rahming], Johnathan [Lloyd] and Chris [Taylor]. That was huge for me to be able to take pieces from those guys, work it into my game and kind of see where I fit in this thing and where I can be in the years to come.”

GoDuke.com: What's one thing last year's senior wide receivers taught you that you know you'll remember for as long as you're at Duke?
JB: “I got some technical stuff from T.J. that I'm definitely going to use. I hadn't really played in the slot, so he kind of took me under his wing and showed me the ins and outs of playing slot wide receiver.

“I'd say overall, Chris, Johnathan, and T.J. as well as Scott and Trevon Lee, taught me the importance of work ethic and attitude. Just watching those guys work day in and day out was huge for me. That's definitely something I need to and am going to use throughout my career, putting your head down and going to work no matter who's watching is huge.

“They showed me the kind of success you can have just by doing that, no matter how skilled you are, your body type, whatever you're looking at, height, speed, or whatever. As long as you're working as hard as they're working, you're going to be just fine. That was definitely big.”

GoDuke.com: You have a new position coach this year with Trooper Taylor. What have been your early impressions of him?
JB: “He's awesome. We're really, really looking forward to working with him. He's an intense guy, but at the same time, we can already see that he's going to care about us on the field and off the field, which is huge for us to see. We know he's going to get us right. He's going to be on us, but, at the same time, we need that.”

GoDuke.com: What is your favorite game memory from the 2018 season?
JB: “I would have to say going to Miami in an absolute downpour. That was so fun. It was like playing in the backyard, honestly. No gloves, no nothing. The rain was just coming down. We were running through the puddles. But that was fun, especially coming out of that with a win.”

GoDuke.com: The Boston Red Sox won the World Series and the New England Patriots took another Super Bowl earlier this month. How good is it to be a Boston sports fan these days?
JB: “It's really good. Honestly, right now I just feel really bad for anyone who isn't a Massachusetts or New England sports fan. That's all I have to say about that.”

GoDuke.com: What's one area, inside or outside football, that you feel like you've grown in, since you got to Duke?
JB: “I would say on a personal level, being able to take responsibility for yourself and, honestly, taking care of yourself. That's probably the same with every student here, or at college in general. It's a little bit of a flip to go from living at home to coming here, where you're on your own. That's been kind of big for me, not having my mom around. My mom kind of took care of me a lot growing up. That's my big thing.

“But also just maturing in general, learning to take care of yourself, not relying on your parents or whoever you did before.”

GoDuke.com: What's one thing about Duke Football that you know now that you wish you had known in August?
JB: “For the training room, always be on time, if not five minutes early. I learned that the hard way at the end of the summer coming into the fall. I think I have it under control pretty well now. But that is something I wish I had known earlier – make sure you handle your stuff in the training room before you do anything else.”

GoDuke.com: What's the first thing you did when you got home after the bowl game?
JB: “I slept in my own bed. That was nice. I also took a shower without shower sandals on. Those were two big steps for me.”

GoDuke.com: What's your favorite class you've taken at Duke?
JB: “I'm taking an innovation and entrepreneurship class this semester. It's basically an introduction to innovation and entrepreneurship, which dives into the business side of things, which is something I'm definitely looking forward to and want to get into.

“It's something I could definitely see myself doing in the future. Looking into getting into that class a bit, it gets into the sales and marketing stuff, things that are exciting to me. It's something I could do in my career.”

GoDuke.com: What was your favorite toy growing up?
JB: “I had a little blue blanket that I always carried around with me. It had a white star on it. I couldn't sleep without it. I had it at basketball games, everywhere. You name a place and I had it.”

GoDuke.com: Cake or pie? What are you eating?
JB: “Pie. I'd have to say my grandma's cherry pie. It's very, very good. I'm not a huge frosting guy, so the cake isn't really good.”

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