Lake Mills’ Bacon Strives to Be the Best

Lake Mills 2021 linebacker [player_tooltip player_id="23911" first="Caleb" last="Bacon"] started showing up on radars following his sophomore year when he recorded 46 tackles for the Bulldogs. Bacon has known from a young age that football is a passion of his. Football is something he has spent hours watching and studying, which gives him a leg up on Friday nights. "I kinda just have a feel for the game that not many people do," Bacon said. "I think I just have something with me that allows me to just see the game slower than everyone else and kinda process everything before it happens." The work Bacon puts in off the field is evident by his knowledge of the game and how each mechanical part works. Just by seeing him on film, you can see his patience at the snap, but his aggressive will to get to the football. The 6’3" 210lb all-stater, Bacon, recorded 92 tackles last season, which was 28th among all classes, 3rd among 1A defenders, and 1st among juniors who will play in Class A this season - the Class Lake Mills dropped down to. [caption id="attachment_43355" align="alignleft" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-43355" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/08/Bacon-2-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="23911" first="Caleb" last="Bacon"]Twitter[/caption]"I just trust all my defense around (me)," Bacon said of the reason he gets so many tackles. He continued by saying, "They eat up blocks and all that which allows me to just get to the (ball)." Leadership qualities were noticeable during their adversity filled 2019 football season. The Bulldogs had high hopes for a deep playoff run but were quickly hit by the injury bug. Older experienced players on the sidelines meant Bacon had to help the younger and less experienced players on-the-fly to salvage the season. The Bulldogs managed to finish 4-5 overall but just 1-3 in Class 1A District 3. Bacon has two offers heading into his final season for the Bulldogs. His first came in April of 2020 from NAIA powerhouse Grand View. Just one month later, NCAA Division II Wayne State University followed up by offering Bacon. The global pandemic has made it hard for Bacon to take visits to schools, but he says he’s been staying in touch with multiple schools via text message and phone calls. Bacon has drawn interest from many different schools, including Iowa, UNI, University of St. Thomas, to just name a few. &nbsp; [caption id="attachment_43359" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="size-medium wp-image-43359" src="https://prephoops-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/redzone/uploads/2020/08/Bacon-3-300x197.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="197" /> Photo: [player_tooltip player_id="23911" first="Caleb" last="Bacon"] Twitter[/caption]The decision about where to play college football can be a daunting one. For Bacon, he’s clear to what he wants - coaches that will push him, a proven weight-training program, and ethical culture in the program. "I want to eventually reach my max potential," Bacon explained. "I just want (a program) that will get the full potential out of me." Bacon also explained that no matter what program he picks, the coaches will know where he best fits into their program; he would play anywhere if that’s best for the team. For this upcoming season, Bacon and his Lake Mills teammates have higher expectations than last year. They have younger guys with varsity experience, they are in their third year of a new offense, and dropped down to Class A this season. Personal goals Bacon wants to be the best linebacker in the state. He wants to lead Class A and prove he belongs on a big-time college roster. But Bacon told me that those things don’t just come. He has confidence that he can be the best but knows it takes hard work and the right attitude. "You have to have confidence; otherwise, you’re not really working for anything," Bacon told me confidently. "That’s not going to make me sit back and say, ’oh yeah, I’m the best’." I’m going to keep working on getting better and try to be one of the best in the entire state."