Senior Tackle: Cade Stover welcomes back Urban Meyer, will visit Ohio State on Saturday
Ohio State commitment Cade Stover is set to embark on his final season of high school football and basketball at Lexington (Ohio) High School.
Lexington, a small town of just about 4,700 people near Mansfield, is a farm community that’s played an instrumental role in raising Stover, the country’s eighth-ranked outside linebacker. He committed to the Buckeyes in late April this year, picking Ohio State over Penn State, Notre Dame and 20 other schools. The 6-foot-4, 230-pound athlete is on the verge of becoming his school’s all-time leading scorer in basketball, and he will share all of the ups and downs of his senior year with Lettermen Row in this weekly journal. This week, Stover reflects on his first conversation with Urban Meyer as the Ohio State coach returns from suspension.
I am learning that every week has new challenges and obstacles.
Last week, despite making major improvements from week one, we suffered yet another loss, falling 27-24 to Shelby. We played together as a unit and played hard and did so against a team that went to the state final last year. This week we face another task when we play Orrville. They are a tough team with a talented running back, so the week of preparation ahead is huge. We need to keep getting stronger on the line and better in pass coverage. When we put it all together, we can be something special, and I know that is the case. We look forward to the challenge and will welcome it with open arms when the time comes. That’s the only way we know how.
It’s been a weird week around town, but busy. With the local fair ending this week all of the fair animals sell. My family owns a butcher shop for cattle and hogs, so for the people who buy the hogs and cows and want them to be prepared at our shop, my dad goes to pick them up and they live at our farm from Sunday until Wednesday when they leave for the shop. We’ve got a bunch of pigs at the farm for those few days, and that means those are my little sister’s favorite days. She’s always playing with the pigs and putting water on them when it gets hot. While she gets to have fun, those days can get a little rough, especially when it comes to loading them up on the trailer on Wednesday. Our pens and gates are made primarily for cattle, so Dad and I have to get physical to try and get them on the trailer. They never just walk on the trailer as cows do most of the time. Anyone who has ever-loaded pigs will agree. You have better be ready to stand your ground or you will be in the ground and the pigs will not be on the trailer. It’s like preparing to meet a running back in the hole, so I don’t back down.
With Coach Meyer being back, the Buckeyes are back to full strength, and I’m pretty excited about that.
Coach Day did a great job as head coach, preparing the guys to put on the show they did, and I know they’ll do that again this week against Rutgers. Hearing from coach Meyer on Monday was great. He was in great spirits and is ready to get going again, you could tell he’s been waiting to get back to work. Talking to him and hearing his points of view makes me as a player realize how much Ohio State football means to him, and what he brings to the table for the team. I can’t wait to play for him.
This weekend I will be coming down to the Horseshoe to watch our game against Rutgers. It’s my first time on campus for a few months, so I am very excited to get down, see everyone, and be in the environment. If you see me, say hello.
As always thank you to everyone who has read this, and continues to follow it. I am having a great time writing them, until next week. Go Bucks!
