‘How good do I have to be?’ Where college football is one’s aim, one will have to work hard to raise one’s game! @minguabeefjerky @PrepSpin @1776Bank @KyHighFootball @CentreFootball

At KPGFootball, we probably talk to around a dozen college coaches every day. We can’t say our opinion holds any particular sway with these guys, but we can say they will call us for a consult when looking for prospects to fit their programs.

We had a particular prospect one time we were trying to help. He was an interior defensive lineman from the eastern end of the commonwealth.

Stone, Hudl Highlights

We texted a friend of ours who coaches a position at a NCAA, Division III, “power program” and recommended he take a look at the kid’s highlights. We provided to him a link. We got a return call some thirty minutes later.

“Coach, I have reviewed the highlights your organization sent me on the prospect you would like us to evaluate. I am curious. How is it exactly you thought this kid was good enough to play here?”

I didn’t know what to say. He continued, “Do you still have those highlights in front of you?”

Sheepishly, I answered with the feeblest, “Yes, sir.”

He answered, “Let’s watch the highlights together.” So, we did.

Time after time, he broke down the individual plays. Time after time, I felt foolish for even having sent my friend this film.

The “dressing down” I received that day was (a little) embarrassing. However, that isn’t all it was; it was also quite an education.

Looking back over the experience, I am glad he called. Better that than he just learn to ignore our future recommendations.

Here is the point that we were discounting on that occasion and which this coach wanted us to appreciate. Any high school prospect hoping to move along to the next level has to be a fantastic high school football player to transition to the college game.

Now, let’s be clear, I am not saying you have to be fantastic to be issued a college uniform and permitted to run through the tunnel and onto the sidelines on Saturdays. There are colleges with fees and tuition so exorbitant that, were your parents to insist on you being issued a uniform and admitted to any of its teams’ rosters, the school would feel hard pressed not to acquiesce.

We aren’t talking about gaining a place or spot on the school’s roster. We are talking about playing.

Playing is a defined term in college athletics. It means getting onto the field, during the game, and blocking and tackling someone in a different colored jersey from the guys with whom you daily practice.

To play college football, you have to be extraordinary. To play any sport collegiately, you have to be extraordinary at that sport. The words underscored here were underscored intentionally.

If you don’t believe me, let’s go back and examine a former KHSAA star. We have chosen Logan Stone from St. Francis DeSales in Louisville, Kentucky.

Logan Stone was a brilliant offensive lineman in high school. He had a D-I frame (6-3, 280-pounds), D-I athleticism (5.06-second, 40 yard dash/ 4.8-second, pro-agility shuttle), all with ivy-league intelligence (4.07 GPA, 29 registered ACT while graduating from one of Louisville’s more prestigious private schools).

He chose to play collegiately where all of those attributes would be appropriately valued and developed. He chose to play at Centre College. There were plenty of other opportunities for him which he could have explored had it been his desire.

We have included his senior highlights from 2018. Look for yourself. He was freakishly fantastic.

He was very easily a FBS group of five/FCS level football player. There are plenty of roster spots at Centre being occupied by players about whom this same thing could easily be either said or written.

Looking back over his college playing time, Stone had a fine career playing football for Kentucky’s most prestigious academic institution historically fielding one of Kentucky’s more successful college football teams. Stone thrived. Anyone making the prediction he would do well in college back in the day had his opinion affirmed through the prism of history.

The point we are trying to make is this: go back and watch Logan’s high school film. If you believe your son is a college football player, at any level, compare his film to Logan’s.

Does your son have Logan’s frame? Does your son have Logan’s incredible strength, power, explosion, and leverage?

Does your son run like Logan? Is your son as athletic in space as Logan? Is your son’s “punch” as devastating as Logan’s?

These are questions you have to answer for yourself. If you are the prospect, these are answers you must provide yourself while looking in the mirror, and honestly.

Logan Stone, both then and now, is a fine example of how good one has to be to play college football. What is your answer? Our answer, as a publication regularly engaged in the watching and evaluating of high school film, is damn good.

Nothing about the arrival at any worthy destination is easy. It takes dedication, work, perseverance, constant effort, and honest self-evaluation.

To get there you’ll have to be really, really diligent and committed. Matter of fact, if you will only watch the provided highlights, you’ll learn it requires one to be really, really good; like Logan was, for instance!

Bon voyage!

This is Coach HB Lyon, reporting for KPGFootball, and we’re JUST CALLING IT LIKE WE SEE IT!

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About Henry Lyon 1210 Articles
Have coached at the high school and middle school level. Have worked in athletic administration. Conceal my identity to enable my candor on articles published by this magazine. Only members of the editorial board are aware of my true identity.

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