Warren’s Nate Brock doesn’t want your attention.
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound senior is hard to miss, mostly because he’s smack-dab in the middle of the action on virtually every play. But notoriety is unlikely for him as the starting fullback and a defensive lineman, and Brock only wants the chance to contribute anyway.
“I do love going out there and doing as much as I can on the field,” he said. “I take pride in being in the trenches every play and being there for my teammates.”
Brock’s work in the trenches has been integral to the success that the 27th-seeded Blue Devils (7-4) hope will continue Friday, when they travel to Elmhurst to play 14th-seeded York (9-2) in the Class 8A state quarterfinals. He is a catalyst for what Warren does especially well: running the ball and stopping the run.
The heavy workload takes a toll on Brock, though.
“I could probably name something on every part of my body that’s messed up,” he said. “But you have to just keep going. They’d have to pull me off the field.”
To help, Brock takes daily ice baths at his house in a unit purchased by his father. But the regimen doesn’t only soothe Brock’s sore muscles and joints.
“It’s become my own little ritual,” he said. “I settle in, calm down and get comfortable being uncomfortable. It’s the same way I need to feel on the field.”
Whatever Brock does to prepare, it works.
“Nate is an all-day tough guy, a true throwback player,” Warren coach Bryan McNulty said. “He sets the tone for our team in multiple ways, but the biggest is his mindset. It’s very well known in our program that I love tough guys, and he is as tough as they come.”
Both of Brock’s positions sacrifice individual glory for team success, which includes wins against sixth-seeded Palatine and 11th-seeded Barrington in the first two round of the playoffs. For instance, Brock has five catches for 98 yards on offense this season. But he is one of the reasons that junior running back Aaron Stewart has rushed for 2,348 yards and 32 touchdowns.
“I really like when I hit someone and see Aaron running downfield and hearing the crowd cheer,” Brock said. “I really like to hit people, and usually when I make a good block, my guy is on the ground.”
Brock makes more of a statistical footprint on defense. He has 55 tackles, including seven for loss and three sacks. But he brings the same team-first mentality to that side of the ball.
“It’s fun taking on a double team and seeing one of our linebackers fill the gap and blow someone up,” Brock said. “I don’t have to be making the big play. I feel good about letting other guys eat.”
Size disparities don’t dissuade him.
“I know I’m going to hit my guy a lot harder to make a difference,” Brock said. “I know I might lose some battles, but I have to just keep getting up and going again. And sometimes I can stunt around a bigger guy too.”
That’s one of Brock’s many traits that senior defensive lineman Anthony Soto appreciates.
“We talk a lot before the game, and he says that every time he plays a game, he’s going to lay it all on the line and do anything to help us win,” Soto said. “He always has a smile on his face before a play, and he knows how to keep himself composed. It seems like he should be tired, but he’s always ready to go.”
The fact that Brock finds himself in an important position in the program is still a bit surreal to him. He remembers watching his older brother Jake, who graduated from Warren in 2021, play fullback.
“I wanted to be just like him,” Brock said. “But I never thought I’d be starting out there on the field like I am because when I was a little kid I wasn’t very good at football. So I feel blessed to be where I’m at, and I don’t want this week to be our last.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
