Kody Engleking was approached at the end of the last school year about playing a new position for the Seymour football team this fall.
He played linebacker last fall, but with most of last season’s starting offensive linemen having graduated, assistant coach Brice Darling asked him about playing center.
“Coach Darling talked to me, and he told us what kind of zone offense we would be running and stuff like that, and said what kind of front we needed,” Engleking said. “He told me that I would most likely be playing center.
“I’ll be playing center, and backup defensive end (this season). I have never played center. There are a lot of things for the center to think about, beginning different blocking assignment on a run or a pass. He has to remember the count, and if the quarterback is under center or in shotgun formation.”
First-year coach Mike Kelly has changed the offense from the system that former coach Josh Shattuck ran, and Engleking will be in the middle.
“Learning a whole, new, entire offense, and playing a whole new position has kind of been a struggle, making sure I’ve got all my responsibilities taken care of, and all that stuff,” Engleking said. “I’m starting to get the hang of it and it’s kind of a whole new learning process.”
His playing weight is 185-pounds, and a lot of times his assignment will be to block defensive players bigger than him.
“I definitely have to have a lot better form and stay a lot lower than a lot of other guys because some guys can get by you on brute strength by being bigger and overtaking you,” Engleking said. “I’ve just kind of learned how to have a lot better form and stay a lot lower than those kind of guys.”
Engleking will not be the long snapper on punts and extra points.
He said he has played other positions in the offensive line throughout his high school career.
“I came into high school being a bigger kid,” Engleking said. “I weighed a lot more and through workouts I lost a lot of weight.”
Kody is the third member of his family to play football for the Owls.
His father, Ben, and older brother, Brayden, spent a lot of time at Bulleit Stadium. Kody was a freshman when Brayden was a senior.
“My brother really seemed to enjoy it, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps,” Kody said. “I started playing in fifth grade.”
Engleking said he enjoys playing for coach Kelly.
“Just the atmosphere of playing for the new coach (has been nice),”he said. “It’s like a new start I guess. Me being a senior, we’ve been able to talk about a lot of new traditions we want to start, and stuff like that, just being able to set our legacy.
“I think the biggest thing right now is bringing back the Lord’s Prayer into huddles before games. We didn’t do that at all last year. All through middle school that’s what I was used to, and had always done that. This year I really thought about that and I thought it would be important to bring back.”
Engleking is hoping the Owls can top the eight-win total they posted last year.
“I think a lot of our kids definitely need to have that mental-over-physical outlook,” Engleking said. “Your mind is going to give out faster than your body will, so I think a lot of kids just need to make sure they toughen up, and just understand their workload and what it’s going to take to achieve that kind of thing.”
He said he has confidence in the other seniors.
“A lot of us have stayed for the four years to play,” Engleking said. “I think we all have a pretty good connection with each-other, and understand each-other.”
The senior has enjoyed attending SHS.
“It’s been pretty enjoyable so far,” Engleking said. “The teachers are really good. It’s been great. My dad has always been there to support me through all of it.’
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Name: Kody Engleking
School: Seymour High School
Parents: Kara and Ben Engleking
Siblings: Brayden, Kiersten
Sports: football 4 years
Athletic highlights Scout team player of year
Organizations: Latin Club
Plans after high school: attend College, study law enforcement
Favorite food: Chinese
Favorite movie: Lone Survivor
Favorite team: Indianapolis Colts
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What: Evansville Harrison (0-0) at Seymour (0-0)
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Where: Bulleit Stadium
Radio: 92.7 Nash Icon
Most recent meeting: Seymour won 65-58 on Oct. 19, 2012 (sectional).
Series past 30 years: tied 1-1.
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