Return of JCA's triple threat

He is bigger, stronger, faster. He is not taller by any stretch of the imagination, nor by virtue of the traditional measuring stick taped to a wall, but 5-foot-10, 204-pound senior wingback Tyler Hudetz of Joliet Catholic cares little about the numbers either big or small. His business, his work ethic, is tailored not toward size but rather the element that hangs from a champion’s neck.  

Prospectors used to scream, “There’s gold in them thar hills.” Likewise, gold has been the standard in football for the Hill since a 13-0 season and a Class 4A state title in 1975. The ring string remained sturdy for state-record No. 13 last season when Hudetz rushed for 1,618 yards on 176 carries and 19 touchdowns as JCA concluded a legendary 13-1 fall with a 49-7 rout of Lemont in the 6A state championship game.

As a junior, Hudetz shifted gears like an Andretti, adding 10 receptions for 226 yards and 2 TDs to his résumé for an offense that produced 6,651 yards (5,053 rushing) — the best in state history.  The 649 points scored were the best in school history. Heartened by large losses to graduation, Hudetz led offseason workouts at Rudy’s Gym, pushing his weightlifting totals to 405 in the bench, 530 in the deadlift and 600 in the squat.

He is bigger, stronger, faster. He runs a 4.5 in the 40, earning a long look from Boston College as a running back/punt returner. Purdue, Northern Illinois, Miami of Ohio, Army and Navy also are interested in last year’s Herald News first team all-area choice. What charges Hudetz, though, can be found on the side of the Hilltoppers’ helmet.

The victory light.
“Everyone knows what we have to do, everyone knows why they are here,” said Hudetz, whose ground gains in 2007 rank ninth on JCA’s single-season rushing list. “Yeah, there’s a lot of pressure on us, but everyone is giving their all, everyone is ready and excited, and everybody is up to the challenge. We’ve lost a lot of good guys, but it’s Joliet Catholic. You come here to win.”

Winning has been the biggest part of the brotherhood plan for the Hudetz family. Brad, a bruising fullback, blocked for all-state wingbacks J.R. Zwierzynski and Chris Gruber on the undefeated 4A and 5A state championship teams in 1999 and 2000, respectively. Nate kicked for the 5A state championship team in 2003. Last year, Tyler tallied a fourth for their trophy case.

Here is where Hudetz, though, must cross a bridge of sorts. While the JCA community can advertise another season as simply being back to business, Tyler yearns to break away from his complementary siblings. Brad and Nate were blue-collar heroes for JCA, worthy of a tour with the likes of Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall, Ron White and Larry the Cable Guy, while Tyler maintains that shade with a decided CEO hue.

Mention names like Zwierzynski, JCA’s all-time career rushing leader with 5,070 yards on 633 carries from 1998-2001, and James Randle, JCA’s all-time single-season rushing leader with 2,624 yards on 351 carries in 1996. Entering a third varsity year, with 2,464 yards already on his plate, Hudetz understands the metaphorical possibilities of chasing such company.

As the man.

As the main man on a marquee.

“Definitely, as far as the experience, I’m aware of the atmosphere,” Hudetz said. “I know what I’m getting into every game. I’ve played in the biggest games during my sophomore and junior years. It doesn’t get any better than playing against Mount Carmel in Soldier Field in the opener as a sophomore, then playing in the state title game of my junior year.”

WHEN THE HILLTOPPERS travel to Mundelein for a nonconference opener Friday night at 7:30 against East Suburban Catholic Conference rival Carmel — which concluded a 10-3 season a year ago with a 17-7 loss to Lake Zurich in the 7A semifinals — opposing eyes will be fishing for No. 20. Lake Zurich beat Wheaton Warrenville South, JCA’s Week 2 opponent, 7-3 in the finals.

This will be the Hudetz who gained 49 yards on a pair of varsity carries as a freshman and 797 more on 99 carries in his first full varsity season as a sophomore. His career yards stand 10th in school history, his 8.9 average sitting second only to Joe Benson’s 10.9 from 2003-05. His 26 rushing TDs are tied for 14th all-time with Andy Bebar (1979-81).

However, beyond the record-book barrage, beyond last year’s 1,844 total yards and a career’s worth of 2,742 that includes 278 receiving to land both categories at 13th on each list, the Hudetz who wears the brown and white will be noticeably broadened from the 5-9, 190-pound speedster. You harness a “horse,” the complimentary term for load-hauling running backs, and Hudetz qualifies heartily.

He is bigger, stronger.

“Without a doubt,” said Jimmy Sharp, JCA’s co-offensive coordinator. “He’s so much stronger, but he didn’t lose any speed at all, and he looks great. Obviously, coming back in his third year as a starter, we know we can put everything on his shoulders, we can give him the ball, and he has that weight on him that he can carry the load. And he’s always been a leader.”

“I knew I had to prepare myself for the grind this season,” Hudetz said. “Coach Sharp has told me I’ll probably be seeing the ball about 30 times a game, if not more, so I’ve been gaining weight and muscle because I know I’ll be getting banged around a lot more. It’s different getting tackled and thrown to the ground on every single carry, but that’s what I’ve prepared myself for and I’m ready to go.”

Running its ready-to-order double-wing offense, JCA rode Hudetz, wingback Connor Krisch (174 carries, 1,179 yards, 22 TDs) and fullback Brandon Geiss (160 carries, 1,360 yards, 19 TDs) to 75 rushing TDs last fall. While Krisch has converted to fullback for Northern Illinois and Geiss competes for time in the St. Cloud State backfield, the Hillmen mantle belongs to a senior returnee.

“I look at Tyler and what he has done in the offseason and he’s going to be a huge threat,” said senior linebacker Josh Mander, JCA’s defensive captain. “Everybody is already calling his number out in practice, and if he’s carrying the ball 30-40 times a game, he’s not only going to get the yards, he’s going to wear guys down. We see it in the practices, we see it in the scrimmages — he’s ridiculous.”

“I’ve always had the speed and I’ve been working on my speed, too,” Hudetz nodded. “But you have to have the power in high school. You’re not always going to have the wide-open hole, so you have to blow some stuff up. I’m not the biggest guy out there anymore like I was in eighth grade, but the extra power will help me.”

In eighth grade, Hudetz paced the Plainfield Junior Cats with an upgraded type of high-octane fuel, the current cost of which causes most motorists a near-coronary at the pump. A teammate then and now, Western Michigan-bound senior right tackle Joe Kripp marvels at Hudetz’s adaptation from the lightning runner to the thunder-and-lightning runner.

“He’s an incredible athlete and he has that real finesse of speed,” said Kripp, the Hilltoppers’ offensive line captain. “He’s a threat just because of that, but he’s also not afraid to block somebody or to lower his shoulder. That’s part of what makes him what he is. Yes, he can outquick people, but if he needs to, he’ll be the first one to drop his shoulder, lower his shoulder and put somebody right on his butt.”

ON HIS FIRST VARSITY carry as a sophomore, Hudetz started the second quarter against Mount Carmel by sprinting 68 yards down the right sideline of Chicago’s Soldier Field. He would lead the Hilltoppers’ ground game with 93 yards on 8 attempts. Four plays later, Hudetz fumbled inside the 10, the Caravan recovered, and JCA dropped a 13-6 decision.

Those are the integral lessons top-drawer competition offers, with Hudetz noting, “that was the best defense I’ve ever gone against in my entire life. That was the biggest adrenaline rush.” Within two weeks, Hudetz pounded St. Patrick for 161 yards on 13 carries, following the sweet stutter steps of former all-state wingbacks like Zwierzynski and Billy McKeon.

Experience paves the path, whether JCA operates the double-wing or the wing-T, and Hudetz provided a tandem of chart-topping hits last year in expanding the Hilltoppers’ 200-yard rushing game club to 36. He went 282 yards on 28 carries in a 51-26 second-round playoff win over Crete-Monee and 218 yards on 19 carries in a 33-7 quarterfinal win over Rock Island — leading up to this.

He is faster.

“I’ve done a lot of running to sustain and stay in shape,” said Hudetz, also one of 36 1,000-yard rushers in JCA’s annals. “I’ve been able to work on my speed, work on my quickness, so I don’t have to take the pounding 30 times. I can still get that score, get that touchdown, in only one play.”

“When I look at Tyler, I see three things,” JCA coach Dan Sharp said. “I see his intelligence, I see his experience, and he brings strength and speed. He brings the whole package. The fact that he has played here for two years is no different than when J.R. or McKeon or guys like that came back. He has seen it all and he has been in every kind of big game.”

One of a kind. Compatriots like Kripp and junior linebacker Jake Stockman describe Hudetz in a similar, reverent tone. Under the Friday night lights, fans have the chance to see the Hudetz who plays with a passion, the Hudetz who plays with a purpose. In practice, those attributes are wrenched up several notches.

“Tyler is unbelievable, and his work ethic explains how good he is on the field,” Stockman said. “He’s one of the hardest workers in speed training, every day in conditioning, and then you will see him in the gym, putting up weight that’s just incredible. When you see him on the field, running over and running past people, you think back to the weight training and the speed training and it makes sense.”

“I like his field vision, too,” Kripp said. “Tyler knows exactly where he’s going before any of the other guys really know he’s going to be there.”

The goings-on in JCA’s 2008 backfield will headline Hudetz, plus senior newcomer at quarterback Matt Ginnetti, seniors Dave Janicki and Jim Bolin and junior Jordan Montgomery at wingback, sophomore Alex Kolodziej — yes, Mike’s brother — at wingback/receiver and seniors Calvin Smith, the Providence transfer, and Mike Foley at fullback.

“We can and will mix things up,” Jimmy Sharp said. “Other guys will step up, and when teams bunch up in the box, we’ll use our play-action and throw the ball. But Tyler works so hard, rep after rep after rep, and our kids see that and want to follow along. And with his speed, his hands and his durability, we know that we can count on him to catch the ball.”

HE IS BIGGER, STRONGER, faster. All modern athletes, in comparison to the past, constantly attain that portrayal. For Hudetz, the feature-back candidate with the brief-case mentality and old-school roots, the paint brush on the canvas creates a portrait of a role model on the field, and as importantly, in the class room, in the weight room and in the locker room.

Because while new-media commentators and sports writers voraciously focus on those numbers that pile up like dust in a vacuum, Hudetz heralds himself as that tree in the landscape, that subtle touch of a Van Gogh, with the hope for a plentiful supply of results in a certain column.

The victories.

“It’s everybody’s goal,” Hudetz said of repeating as state champion. “Undoubtedly, as long as we’re winning games, that’s fine with me. If I carry 15 times, 20 times, 30 times, as long as we’re winning games, that’s the most important thing to me.”

“He’s the guy other kids look up to for leadership,” Dan Sharp confirmed. “Having that kid not only be a great player, a great person, but also a teacher on your team is invaluable. He has been through the wars. He’s very business-like on the field and in practice, but he has a good sense of humor and he’s fun to be around in the locker room, and we’ve built up a great camaraderie because of his personality.”

Over the decades, JCA has developed a running-dominant offensive personality. With tackles like Kripp and junior Dan Foreman that tower and power in the 6-4, 275-pound range, expect the Hilltoppers to saddle up Hudetz. He has worked for it and  he wants it, a good wise-guy combo.

“I think I’m more of an intelligent runner,” he said. “Basically, I believe I can do anything, and that’s what Coach Sharp has been telling all of the college coaches. I know from experience what’s going to happen, I can play the speed game, I can play the power game, and whatever I have to do to get the job done, I’ll do it.”

Much like what senior quarterback John Ruettiger, the Arizona State baseball recruit, did for JCA, the bigger, stronger, faster, smarter Hudetz has his leadership chords warmed.

As the voice.

As the salient voice.

“I have a more serious role now,” said Hudetz, who was anointed a captain by Sharp mere moments after JCA was crowned state champion last November. “I’m serious, but I don’t get too jacked up. I’m prepared, I’m focused, and I’m more confident.”