The mantle has been passed on Grant’s defense, and Logan Myers is glad he received it.
In his second season as a starter, the 6-foot-1, 175-pound junior linebacker is smack-dab in the middle of everything the Bulldogs do on that side of the ball, and that’s not an accident.
“Being shown the ropes last year was very helpful,” Myers said. “There’s always room for improvement, but I’d say I’m pretty comfortable. I’ve always wanted people to be able to come to me and to know I have their back. So it’s exciting to be given this opportunity.”
Myers earned it, with his play on the field as a rock-solid sophomore last season and the way he actively sought guidance from then-senior linebacker Ryan Kowalski.
Myers was consistently in Kowalski’s ear about calling out the unit’s defensive formations and alignments, and toward the end of the season the training wheels came off.
“As the year went on, he (Kowalski) would give me more opportunities when he saw that I knew what I was doing,” Myers said. “When it really started to show was around Week 8, when he just let me take over. I would call out the plays and be the one to command the defense.”
Myers acknowledged there were times when he would need clarification. But being given that latitude so early in his career did wonders for his confidence and prepared him mentally to play at an exceedingly high level this season.
“Logan was always looking at what Ryan was doing,” Grant coach Tim Norwood said. “You could tell he wanted to learn to be that guy, and that’s what he’s become.”
Myers has also become a linebacker who makes tackles all over the field. He leads the Bulldogs (6-3) with 107 tackles heading into their game at Burlington Central in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs on Saturday. He also has two interceptions, one of which he returned 97 yards for a touchdown against North Chicago.
“He definitely plays fast, and he runs to the ball really hard,” Norwood said. “With his speed, we actually thought about putting him at safety last year.”
Myers’ speed is a necessity, since he is undersized for an every-down linebacker. His relentless pursuit and better recognition of opponents’ tendencies are also major factors in his success.
“I am a little small, but that allows me to fly around the field,” Myers said. “I feel what I’m best at is making plays and knowing what’s going to happen before the snap. It’s hard to explain. I just know where I need to be, and I get there as quickly as I can.”
Myers is quick to credit teammates around him too.
“The defensive linemen are always really helpful,” he said. “The work they do gives me the opportunities to make tackles. Even if it’s them taking on a double-team, it’s one less guy on me.”
Myers also received assistance on his signature play of the season, his long pick-six.
“I just did my drop, and the dude was 2 or 3 yards in back of me, so I stepped in and grabbed the ball,” he said. “I started running and gave the quarterback a stiff arm and spin move, and then (senior defensive back) Anthony Koza picked up a big block that helped me get to the outside.”
It’s often Myers doing the helping, according to sophomore linebacker Wyatt Cornell, whose first extensive exposure to Myers came last summer after getting pulled onto the varsity team.
“I didn’t know anyone, and he almost took me in like a little brother,” Cornell said. “He’s pushed me to be better and made me feel way more comfortable. He basically coaches me.”
Cornell didn’t need much time to realize Myers is a ball hawk. Cornell recalls being particularly struck by how active Myers was during Grant’s win against Glenbrook North in Week 2.
“I remember one play where I got off the guard and was getting toward the runner, and he ran right into Logan,” Cornell said. “He was like an animal. He’s absolutely the cornerstone of the defense.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
