The Yale football team will have to do without wide receiver Bo Hines ’18 again in 2017–18, as the senior has decided to forgo the season due to mounting injury concerns.
Hines, a former freshman All-American at North Carolina State who transferred to Yale in 2015, saw his collegiate football career derailed by consecutive season-ending shoulder injuries. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native only played a total of four quarters with the Elis, all of which came in his sophomore season. He missed the entire 2016–17 campaign with a collarbone injury.
“I had been considering the decision for quite some time,” Hines told the News. “After suffering from my second season-ending injury, it became apparent that it would not be in my best interest to continue playing. I love my coaches and teammates here at Yale. It was a very difficult decision. However, after consulting with medical experts, I ultimately made the decision to protect my long-term health.”
Hines flashed his potential in the brief time he was on the field for the Bulldogs, totaling 11 catches and 134 yards in just over four quarters of play during his sophomore year. A shoulder separation in Week 6 inhibited any further production from Hines and kept him off the field for the remainder of the season. No other Eli receiver reached 134 yards in any game in 2016.
Most of the excitement about Hines’ return in 2017 stemmed not from those four quarters, but his prolific first year at N.C. State. As a rookie, Hines led the Wolfpack in receiving, grabbing 45 passes for 616 yards on the way to being named a Freshman All-American.
Catching passes from current National Football League quarterback Jacoby Brissett, Hines had perhaps his most impressive performance against No. 1 Florida State. Against a defensive backfield that included future NFL standouts Jalen Ramsey and Ronald Darby, Hines totaled eight catches for 103 yards and a touchdown. N.C. State lost a 56–41 shootout to a Seminoles team led by Heisman Trophy–winning quarterback and current NFLer Jameis Winston.
Now without Hines — and the graduated Myles Gaines ’17 and Robert Clemons III ’17 — the Elis will look to solidify their receiving corps ahead of the Sept. 16 season opener against Lehigh.
Head coach Tony Reno said at the Aug. 8 Ivy Preseason Teleconference — prior to Hines’ announcement — that the senior had “a really good spring,” but also emphasized the multitude of talent in the group quarterback Kurt Rawlings ’20 has at his disposal.
“At the receiver position we return guys who have played a lot of football: Chris Williams-Lopez ’18, Michael Siragusa ’18 [and] Ross Drwal ’18,” Reno said. “We had two freshmen who stepped up last year in Reed Klubnik ’20 and JP Shohfi ’20 so we’ve got some good depth at that position.”
While the Bulldogs have a multitude of promising pieces at wideout, it has been one of the positions hit hardest by injury over the past two years; in addition to Hines, Williams-Lopez, Siragusa and Drwal all missed significant time last season. Health remains a key variable for the receiving corps in 2018, as it looks to establish a rapport with Rawlings.
Although Hines walks away from Yale football having made limited contributions for the Elis, he has had an impact off the field in his time in New Haven. Hines has worked to raise awareness for issues facing student athletes on campus and served as the co-president of the Yale Student Athletic College Council alongside tennis player Carol Finke ’18 during the 2016–17 academic year.
Hines, a political science major, originally transferred to Yale from North Carolina State because of the political opportunities an Ivy League degree would open for him. This past summer, Hines interned for Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., and Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb. He also launched a series of podcasts entitled “Bo Knows” earlier this year in which he shares his political commentary.
“Bo is a tremendous friend and athlete,” former YSACC president and teammate Jackson Stallings ’17 said. “His work ethic is unparalleled. It’s sad for both Yale and him that he was never able to have a healthy season for us.”
Hines married his longtime girlfriend Olivia Andretti this past June.
Sebastian Kupchaunis | sebastian.kupchaunis@yale.edu | @skupchaunis
Matthew Mister | matthew.mister@yale.edu | @matthewmister19