Just get him on the field. That must have been the thought process in the Fridley coaches’ room three years ago. The then Fridley freshman quarterback – Kaleb Blaha – was primarily a quarterback his entire career but with an…
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Subscribe Already a subscriber? Log inJust get him on the field. That must have been the thought process in the Fridley coaches’ room three years ago. The then Fridley freshman quarterback – Kaleb Blaha – was primarily a quarterback his entire career but with an upper-classmen ahead of him on the depth chart, quarterback was not an option. The coaches knew they wanted Blaha on the field somewhere. For two years he played anywhere the coaches needed him until last year when he became the starting quarterback and led the Tigers to a 6-2 regular season.
“The season didn’t end the way we wanted it to,” Blaha admitted, “but we were a young team, and we learned not to overlook any team.”
Blaha undersold his contribution to the team’s success.
“I feel like I had a really good season. I couldn’t do it without my team.”
The junior brings a lot more than a humble attitude to the quarterback position.
“I am a dual-threat quarterback,” Blaha said. “I think I am football smart and have good vision. I am a huge competitor; I always think we can win, and I think I am a leader on this team.”
Blaha has been a quarterback since he was young, but to get him on the field, he started as a defensive back for one game as a freshman. His sophomore year he was injured early in the season but came back and played wide receiver sophomore year.
After starting at quarterback this year, next year expects to start at quarterback and safety during his senior year. One of the aspects of his game he wants to improve has nothing to do with his physical talents.
“I want to be a better leader for the young guys,” Blaha told northstarfootballnews.com, “and be more vocal and be someone others want to be around.”
Blaha spends plenty of time honing his physical skills as well.
“I play football year-round,” Blaha explained. “I train at a few different places. I play seven on seven with Potenza Sports. I have played quarterback, wide receiver and safety at different times. I work with a trainer during the offseason. Most of it is regular working out stuff, but my trainer will help me with my throwing form, dropping back quicker, making reads faster, stuff like that.”
This summer, although he doesn’t have anything mapped out specifically, he plans to add to an already busy football schedule.
“I am going to get to a lot of college camps this summer.”
Although he is early in the recruiting process – Wisconsin-River Falls has extended an offer to the junior – Blaha is enjoying the ride.
“Being recruited is a lot of fun,” the 6’0″ 185-pound junior said. “I am learning a lot about it.”
With his varied position background, not surprisingly, his position possibilities are plentiful.
“I am getting recruited at quarterback, wide receiver and safety,” Blaha explained. “They see that I am an athlete so some of the schools want to see what I can do at other positions.”
Programs like the way he processes the game as much as how he plays the game.
“I have been told they like the way I ran our offense and the decisions I made.”
Even with a strong senior season, Blaha is a long way away from finding out where his football career will take him after his high school. Going by his history, if a college program gets him on the field, he will find a way to contribute.
