Valparaiso senior Connor McCall has an uncanny ability to concentrate on the task at hand.
Defensive end or tight end. Football or basketball.
“A very big thinker” who is “just so cerebral,” according to Valparaiso football coach Bill Marshall, the 6-foot-4, 215-pounder blocks out any noise.
“I know he’s going to have a great basketball season ahead of him too,” Marshall said. “But he’s also been the same type of kid where he’s in the here and now. He doesn’t want football to end. Not because he doesn’t want to go to basketball, but just because he’s one of those rare athletes that they just get so into the sport they’re in, they don’t think ahead, they don’t think about what’s coming next.”
Indeed, McCall is all-in on helping the Vikings (9-3) advance to the Class 5A state championship game as they travel to play Fort Wayne Snider (11-1) for a semistate Friday night. He also figures to be a key player for the basketball team, but he hasn’t been able to participate in the first two weeks of official practice.
“Right now, I’m really just focusing on football and getting the job done,” he said.
McCall, a team captain, has gotten the job done at defensive end. He has 37 tackles, including two for loss. He actually began the season at tight end before the Vikings came to a realization after their opening loss to Penn.
“He’s done a tremendous job of leading our kids and really being selfless,” Marshall said. “All things considered, we had him being our starting tight end. We got to a point after the Penn game, it was apparent we needed a big body, somebody who had great feet, who could go ahead and play defensive end for us. He has stepped up and been able to do things.
“He has great length. He has more pass breakups than any of our defensive linemen in terms of getting his hands up there. He’s a very smart football player too. He’ll even at times go ahead and turn around and tell the linebackers, ‘Hey, listen, this is what we should be doing.’ He’s able to communicate that and be a great leader for us. He’s just really worked into being that niche as a great defensive end.”
McCall has played both defensive end and tight end throughout his career. His primary position has depended on the circumstances.
“It’s just where the coaches see me fitting best,” McCall said. “Whatever the coaches need me to play, I’m absolutely happy to play.”
In the offseason, McCall actually was preparing to play both sides of the ball.
“Over the summer, I did extra conditioning,” he said. “I worked extra hard.”
McCall still takes practice reps at tight end, just in case. He has continued to play there occasionally in heavy formations.
As a freshman, McCall was one of 10 players who moved up to the varsity team as the Vikings made a run to the 5A state championship game. He played defensive end on the junior varsity team as a sophomore before switching to tight end as a junior, splitting time between varsity and JV.
He has excelled in his first full varsity season.
“I’m really getting along with the guys,” McCall said. “For me, since I’m pretty tall, I get my hands up. I’ve deflected probably 10 balls this year, which feels great for me, but also for the team. I feel like I’m helping the team out a lot more.
“I feel like I’m pretty versatile. I can play wherever the coaches need me.”
McCall marveled at the program’s accomplishments during the past five seasons.
“My whole high school career, we’ve been pretty successful,” he said. “I’ve been enjoying it and just happy to be a part of it. Senior year, we want to go out on a high note. So far we’ve been doing that.”
McCall, whose father Jim is Valparaiso’s superintendent, expects his athletic career will come to an end after high school. He is planning to study finance in college, with Indiana, Purdue, Notre Dame and Penn on his radar.
McCall is well on his way to making his senior year special.
“The big thing for him, he put a lot of time in the offseason in the weight room right after basketball season was over last year, and even during basketball season because he knew he had a tough football schedule upcoming,” Marshall said. “You can see it’s really paying off for him.”
