Spring Baller Alert – Getting Explosive in the Off-Season

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The off-season grind rolls on and with spring finally upon us it is a welcome change of pace after the dog days of winter. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And while a change of pace is nice, for guys wanting to play at the next level, it is more about a switch being flipped that activates a sense of urgency.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Once warm weather hits, we are typically only four months out and with everything going on, it will go by fast.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And, the game is getting too competitive to leave anything to chance. With the NIL factor impacting high school players and available scholarships more every year, it is even more important to take the off-season seriously.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There is nothing wrong with hoping to one day be an elite baller, but keep in mind, hope is not a strategy.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Relentless hard work is.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this report we are focusing on five guys from different classes and representing different positions who established training objectives early in the off-season, had the discipline and drive to stick with it and are now starting to see the improvements that will drive performance this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, without further adieu, let's take a closer look at the <em>Friday Five</em>:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1593083"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67efaddc12e4d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1593083' first='Gus' last='Ketteler']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/gus-ketteler/"></a>&nbsp;</strong>, 6'0, 175, RB/DB,&nbsp;<em>Shawnee Mission East</em>, '27. After a solid sophomore season he already has his game face on this spring, establishing PR's in the 100m and 4x100 relay right out of the gate. Additionally, he has been playing 7v7 and has been pounding the iron. With camp/combine season around the corner, he is narrowing down his list, considering many of the Ivy League schools as well as camps at Tulsa, KU, K-State and UCF. His dad played hoops for UCF, so there is some obvious interest there. He is also planning on three combines, Rivals, UA Next and locally with Varsity KC. And, if he weren't already busy enough, will shoe horn in the Manning Passing Academy this summer for the second year in a row. He also continues to get elite-level direction from Coach Mark Simoneau, who coaches both football and track for East, and who knows a thing or two about optimizing talent. This guy is going to be <em>en fuego</em> this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1615604"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67efaddc12eb3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1615604' first='Tavion' last='Richardson']</strong>, 6'2, 195, WR,&nbsp;<em>Mulvane</em>, '28. He just wrapped up basketball and 7v7 with the Kansas Colts and is shifting gears to run track as a standout hurdler for the Wildcats this spring. His off-season work outs are starting to produce as he has put on five pounds of muscle and is expecting to test out even faster than last season. He is also in the process of deciding which camps and clinics to hit this spring and summer to continue to fine tune his skill sets. With prototype size, speed and athleticism he is going to be a dangerous weapon in the Mulvane attack this fall. He hasn't received much attention yet, but that won't last long once he gets going. He can line up split wide or in the slot, runs good routes and is skilled at creating separation off the ball. With his reach, impressive catch radius and sticky hands he is going to be a force on offense. Remember the name, he is getting ready to ball out this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1114752"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67efaddc12efd"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1114752' first='Cal' last='Purvis']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/cal-purvis/"></a>&nbsp;</strong><em><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/cal-purvis/"></a>&nbsp;,&nbsp;</em></strong>6'3, 225, LB/RB,&nbsp;<em>Bishop Carroll</em>, '26. It has been a busy off-season already and only looks to get busier, as he is training hard and is also starting to generate D1 offers. He has been getting up to train every morning from 6:30-8:00 and then in the afternoon works on skill sets and flexibility. The work is already paying off as his 10-second splits are consistently under 1.29 and has his forty down to 4.6, which is moving for his size. His camp schedule is still a work in progress, but he will definitely hit the Lindenwood Mega camp, and camps at Purdue and K-State, with several others being discussed. A two-way baller, he is a punishing running back with good burst on offense and a headhunter linebacker on defense, finishing with 70 tackles and 18 tackles for loss a year ago. If opposing teams thought this guy was a handful last year, they ain't seen nothing yet. He is going to bring the sledgehammer in 2025.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1585530"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67efaddc12f40"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1585530' first='Mason' last='Moaliitele']</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/mason-moaliitele/"></a>&nbsp;</strong>, 6'0, 210, RB/LB,&nbsp;<em>Derby</em>,&nbsp;<em>'27</em>. With his recent move to Derby, the former standout two-way playmaker from Winfield will pad up this fall as a Panther. He is coming off a breakthrough sophomore season as a RB on offense and on the other side of the ball is developing into one one of the top young LB's in the state after racking up 83 tackles, 11 tackles for loss and two sacks a year ago. As the season progressed, he got better as he went, piling up 30 tackles and a couple of tackles for a loss in a late-season two-game span. He has been lifting five times a week and doing speed and agility work on the field four times weekly. His camp schedule is getting firmed up, as he intends to go to the KU and K-State camps this summer and is also considering others. Definitely a loss for the Vikings, but he will thrive in the Derby program. Look for him to have a big junior season this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["1590414"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-67efaddc12f81"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700"><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1590414' first='Derek' last='Leggett']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/derek-leggett/"></a>&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/derek-leggett/"></a>&nbsp;</strong>, 6'3, 245, OL/DL,&nbsp;<em>Sedgwick</em>, '28. He has been rehabbing an injured knee in the off-season so far, but that won't be slowing him down much longer as his recovery is ahead of schedule. After an excellent start to the varsity game last fall as a two-way trench warrior, he is even more determined to take his game to the next level in 2025. He is already signed up for the Washburn camp and is planning on attending the O-Line camp at Hutchinson coming up. For the summer, he intends to return to some of the big camps in the area - Kansas, K-State and the Oklahoma State Down and Dirty OL/DL camp. Always working to get better, he is conducting OL/DL power workouts for strength and technique in the trenches with Coach Andra at Battle Ax Gym and will continue his summer training with Coach Daniels on speed, agility and being the complete player. He is also a 4.0 student in the classroom. This guy is going dominate in the trenches this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In conclusion, these guys are getting ready to make some noise this fall so get them tuned in. Additionally, if you know of any players or teams flying under the proverbial radar, please give me a shout via DM on X.&nbsp;</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And, as always, <em>keep grindin'.</em>..</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->