GBMW: Friday Night Lights -- Trey DePriest 2011 Recruit

Scouting Trey DePriest: Football’s Throwback and Future.

On Friday, September 4, Springfield High School traveled to Pickerington Central for a highly anticipated game. The game pitted two teams with many athletic players. One player, Trey DePriest, demonstrated a rare and unique ability to turn back the clock from the specialist athlete of today’s era to the now all too rare occurrence of the all-around, multi-skilled athlete and player.

"Do it all” is a catch phrase that has been used for decades in describing players of this nature. The single wing style offenses brought out the best in players fortunate enough to be gifted with multiple skills. Two highly admired Big Ten players from the past, Tom Harmon and Vic Janowicz, remain, and rightly so, legends because of their all-around skills. Both were heroes, on and off the field. Both athletes kicked, passed, ran, caught, and played defense. And not just at an average level, but well above the norm in proficiency.

Now enter young Trey DePriest, a junior from Springfield, who can, like the two esteemed legends above, kick, pass, run, catch, and play defense. Yes, Trey is a throwback in a historical sense. But versatile all-around athletes have always been held in high regard since one athlete can meet multiple team needs. Similar, multi-skilled athletes on defense must counter the rapid Darwinian change in football style, where teams are incorporating spread offenses. And so, players like Trey DePriest may just be the prototypical future of football.
But here is a heads-up; do not hunt for Trey on the sideline. He will not be there, since he plays every play until the game is over and the bus is loaded.

Even though Trey is only barely into his junior year, his ability is well known. Last week, two days before Friday’s game, Trey received early offers from six schools, Michigan and Ohio State included.

Before discussing Trey’ DePriest’s ability and the game itself, let us get a brushstroke of Trey the student and Trey the person. This dialogue will start in the general and end in the specific, the opposite of usual idea framing.

The general conclusion is WOW!!! And so herein are the specifics that lead to that short but clear conclusion. Trey and his coaches report he has a 3.8 grade point average. His coaches clearly admire his accomplishments in athletics and are very proud of a category named “everything else.” Young Mr. DePriest is very well mannered, highly articulate, obviously confident, thinks of others, and stands above and beyond the typical 11th grader in oh so many ways. And he does so with gratitude for his abilities. Smiling, readers could ask: is this a throwback to the past or a clone for the future? If a clone, the future is bright, very bright.

Let me end by stating that Trey has what the author terms the “get it effect.” Trey “gets it,” across the board, and will be very successful in his future endeavors, in any pursuit. It would not surprise me to learn years from now that Trey walked into an admissions interview for a professional school and the committee closed the folders after five minutes of discussion and said. “Well, he’s in, who is next?”

And now the measureables that all recruiting followers yearn for, again stated by both Trey and his coaches:
6’1” 219 pounds
Bench – 235 lbs.
40 time- low 4.6 range

And on to the game highlights. Both teams came into this game having secured big wins in the season’s first week, Pickerington Central beating a strong California team from Orange County and Springfield beating a big and physical Hamilton team, in overtime, a game in which Trey scored 4 touchdowns. Springfield is a young team, not possessing great size. They count among the team members several players with a high level of speed. Pickerington is solid across the board in every aspect and could be one Central Ohio team with a shot at going a long way in the state playoffs.

Pickerington played very well early, Springfield came back very strong in the second and third quarter, and Pickerington put the game away in the final few minutes. Turnovers, a not unexpected outcome of a young team, played a big part in the final outcome. The game was well coached, players played hard, and the offensive variety was nice to watch. The final score was Pickerington Central 28 and Springfield Central 19.

This year’s Springfield team will advance as far as it can. But look out for next year. Springfield will not only have young Trey back, but also a sophomore quarterback, George Walker, who when in space can make fans laugh with his speed and moves. George is no laughing matter to defenders. He will be tough to defend in the future. A young receiver, Josh Bass, already impresses (nice, quick cuts).

George Walker (QB) -- 5
Trey played mostly inside on defense and demonstrated good blitzing ability. He reads pretty well and has good, but not stunning, lateral movement. On offense he took direct snaps, received handoffs, and took to the flats. In the tradition of single wing offenses, Trey unleashed a few passes as well. He punted, kicked off, and did the place kicking, leaving little else.

What are some general impressions brought away from the game? First, only a limited number of athletes in high school football possess any of Trey’s skills at a high level, mostly seniors. Very few players across the nation possess his combined skill bank, regardless of class rank. Second, of any quality that stood out the most, the vote from this game observation goes to strength. Trey showed the most strength running the ball. One time, when Springfield was in great need of a touchdown to get back into the game, Trey took the ball up the middle on a hand-off in a goal line formation with very tight line splits. The bigger Pickerington D-line, knowing the likely, blasted two yards into the offensive backfield, standing up Trey. Trey scored. Many times in the game, he never went down, but was stopped only on lack of forward progress while being gang-tackled. He has a strong arm and hit one punt (one step with a moderate follow through) 50 yards (fair catch, no roll).

Sooner or later, unless Mr. DePriest, ends up as the next Charles Woodson, the time will come for a decision to be made as to what position he settles into at the next level. This decision may come later and not sooner, so it is likely premature to state with certainty the final position destination. But even looking ahead two years, linebacker and maxback seem to be real possibilities. Spinner, anyone? Maybe so.

Trey stated he has an interest in Michigan, a clear interest. Trey believes he might be recruited as a linebacker, but with his talents, both the school and the young man may likely find it also premature to finalize such a choice. It is the writer’s hope that Trey visits Michigan because here is a student athlete who might be deeply impressed by Michigan’s scholastic presentation and opportunities.


Wherever he goes to college, and whatever pursuit Trey follows down the path of life, he will be a leader and best. There are faster players, bigger players, but maybe not smarter players, and certainly few players with the total skill package he now possesses.

And he has two more years to get better before heading off to college. And he will.

Gratitude to Trey and the coaches of Springfield is expressed for taking time out on a very important night. It is clear that the coaches have a treasure and they know it. It is clear that Trey appreciates what high school coaches do to develop athletes and citizens. Best wishes to the Springfield team and coaches this year and beyond. Best wishes to Pickerington Central, a team that will be heard from in the immediate present.

And so, who among you would like to have a young man of Trey’s athletic and scholastic talents on the college team of your choice? Thought so!

Thanks for stopping by Go Blue Michigan Wolverine
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Written by Doc4Blu
Photos by Josh Winslow

Can see more photos of the game at: Josh Winslow site