TERRE HAUTE — The task for Indiana State football competing in the Missouri Valley Football Conference is considered to be similar to that of Terre Haute North and Terre Haute South playing in the Metropolitan Interscholastic Conference.
Tough opponents every week with no easy games. Opponents with more players, more money, and more recent success. Lack of respect from league brethren.
Therefore, the obstacles looming in the road for North senior Chris O’Leary as he joins ISU’s program this fall will be familiar ones.
O’Leary made a verbal commitment last week to attend ISU and play for Coach Trent Miles, and will sign his national letter-of-intent on Feb. 3.
This past season, the North senior threw for 1,998 yards and 16 touchdowns while running for 500 yards and five more touchdowns.
The quarterback set school single season records this year for attempts, completions, passing yards and quarterback rushing yards.
O’Leary said it’s a “relief” to have the process over, and he’s looking forward to the opportunity to join the Sycamore program.
“I like the players and the coaches a lot, and their facilities also,” O’Leary said. “Their weight room is top of the line, and it’s up there with all the schools I’ve been to.”
ISU’s recent track record in terms of wins and losses is well known, but O’Leary sees that trend changing.
“On my visit I talked to players and coaches, and they are all very confident that the losing is a thing of the past,” he said. “They are ready to turn the program around, and they’re doing the right things. It’s definitely on the upswing.”
O’Leary had visited larger schools such as Michigan State and Western Kentucky, but had the most interest from Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA) schools and other lower division schools literally stretching from Maine to San Diego.
He could prove to be a “diamond in the rough” story in the Kurt Warner or Tony Romo mold, someone who could prove to be a higher level player who slipped through the cracks in the eyes of the bigger schools to the FCS level.
Injuries were the downfall of the 6-2, 180-pounder throughout his high school career and limited his collegiate choices.
He dislocated both shoulders, and had surgery during his junior year when he only got to play in three games and was forced to miss the entire basketball season.
Last summer, four hernias required additional surgery and caused him to have to pass on invitations to some of the top passing camps in the country that are used heavily by colleges in evaluating prospective recruits.
“That definitely hurt my recruiting options,” he said. “ISU was able to see me play on their field during my senior year, and I happened to have a good game that night. They started talking to me then.”
North Coach Chris Barrett is thrilled to have one of his players to earn a full-ride scholarship and predicts success is in O’Leary’s future.
“Chris is an outstanding young man and football player,” Barrett said. “He is a very good spread-option QB with good speed, accuracy, and decision making ability. His best attribute is his leadership ability.
“Chris comes to practice every day and he makes those around him better,” he added. “He is looking forward to making an impact at Indiana State University.”
O’Leary credits Barrett and the North coaching staff with helping him to achieve his goal of playing college football.
“Coach Barrett and his staff had a lot to do with it,” O’Leary said. “He’s an ISU grad and he knows Coach Miles really well. He was able to put in a good word for me, and he’s really backing the program well.
“He definitely hopes we get back on top.”
O’Leary also credits Billy Blundell, quarterback coach at North, with compiling video highlight films and statistics packages for his recruitment.
O’Leary said the preliminary plan is for him to redshirt next fall to take a year to get acclimated to college and the higher level of competition as he works on getting bigger and stronger.
“My goal personally would be to learn the system for another year, and then come in and start as a redshirt sophomore,” he said.
O’Leary wants to be a college football coach once his playing days are over, and hopes to someday serve as a graduate assistant at ISU. He’ll major in communications to provide himself a backup plan.
There was only one negative about ISU as O’Leary considered his college plans — the fact that it’s in the same city where he has grown up.
“My goal was to get out of town and be on my own, and staying here was probably the only negative thing,” he said. “I’ll be living on campus, so I will be a little bit removed from home but my family will still get to see me play. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Joey Bennett is a former Tribune-Star sports reporter and copy editor who now teaches and coaches at Northview High School in Brazil. He can be reached at tribstarcollegereport@yahoo.com.
College Report
College report: North's O’Leary to play at Indiana State
- College Report
-
-
Catching up as the school year winds down
Odds and ends from here and there as the school year quickly winds down. For starters, high jumper Nick Jaeger of Terre Haute South was named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference’s male track & field newcomer of the year:
-
College Report: Lively earned collegiate upgrade with strong play
Hillary Lively signed to play Division II basketball at Maryville (Mo.) during her senior year at North Vermillion, but those plans changed and she would up at nearby Danville Area Community College — where she recently concluded an outstanding two-year career.
Lively was impressive enough to earn a Division I scholarship to Southeast Missouri State of the Ohio Valley Conference, and both her future and past college coaches think she will continue to succeed there.
“She fits what we need,” SEMO coach Ty Margenthaler said. “She has college experience, she is strong and physical and plays well around the basket and moves well.
“Her strength, rebounding and touch around the basket will be a big help. On the defensive end, she’ll be able to guard a true center.” -
COLLEGE REPORT: Valley prep athletes getting ready for next level
The NCAA “regular” signing period begins Wednesday for all sports except football, field hockey, soccer, track and field, cross country and men’s water polo.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: Conferences honor Valley softball players
Several Wabash Valley area college softball players have been honored by their respective conferences for outstanding play this spring.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: Jake Newton makes big impact for Lincoln Trail College
Jake Newton had a long time between playing in competitive basketball games, a span of about 18 months, and used the frustration from that long dry spell to produce a stellar freshman season for Lincoln Trail College this winter.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: A.J. Reed earns SEC Player of the Week honors
After belting three home runs during a five games last week, Kentucky sophomore left-handed pitcher/first baseman A.J. Reed was named Southeastern Conference Player of the Week.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: Spring newcomers making marks
Several freshman baseball and softball NCAA Division I players from the Wabash Valley have already made immediate impacts at their new schools, while others are waiting for their turns to shine.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: A.J. Reed named third-team preseason baseball All-American
Two-way sophomore standout A.J. Reed was one of three University of Kentucky players named third-team preseason All-America by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: Sponsler honored after big week for Wabash men's hoops
Wabash College freshman Ross Sponsler of Terre Haute North was named the North Coast Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 6.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: North grad Hughes finds success after facing preseason adversity
A.J. Hughes knew he was in for a battle as he competed with three other walk-on punters in the preseason for the lone starting job on the Virginia Tech football team.
-
Etling, Meggs enjoying great year
It’s been a great year so far with more to come for a pair of longtime friends and St. Patrick’s School classmates.
Former Terre Haute resident Jack Meggs quarterbacked the Bellevue Wolverines football team to the Washington Class 3A state championship this fall, culminating with a 35-3 win over Sammamish Eastside Catholic — Bellevue’s fifth straight crown.
Danny Etling, meanwhile, has completed graduation requirements at Terre Haute South and is preparing for an upcoming high school all-star game and his first college classes in a couple of weeks. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Valley’s women’s college hoops players start strong
Several women’s college basketball players from the Wabash Valley have gotten off to good starts this season on the hardwood. Highlights:
-
COLLEGE REPORT: Mayhew, Mascari provide fall highlights
Several dozen Wabash Valley athletes enjoyed successful fall seasons collegiately in cross country and tennis this year. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Former North teammates start strong in college
Former Terre Haute North teammates Ross Sponsler and Matt O’Leary made their college basketball debuts last week and had outstanding initial performances. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Shoemaker OBP leads Chisox farmhands
Former Indiana State, Olney Central and Northview baseball standout Brady Shoemaker opened a lot of eyes last summer in the Chicago White Sox farm system, earning him a spot on a mlb.com blog team that highlighted the team’s outstanding minor leaguers at each position.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: Boeglin has plenty of ISU memories, but not all are related to basketball
Melanie Boeglin, an All-American who played on the women’s basketball team at Indiana State from 2002-2006, will be inducted into the 21st class of the Indiana State University Athletics Hall of Fame on Thursday.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: North grad leading DePauw volleyball in winning streak
DePauw’s volleyball team has won seven straight matches entering this weekend’s DePauw Invitational, including four straight wins last weekend to capture the Rose-Hulman invitational title.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: Engle moving up football coaching ranks
Michael Engle graduated from DePauw University in the spring of 2011 with a degree in political science and future plans to advance his studies in law school.
Being a coach’s son and a competitive athlete by nature, Engle has put those plans on hold for now. -
COLLEGE REPORT: From Terre Haute South to Division I competition to coaching careers
Adriane Wunderlich and Katelyn Bishop both turned stellar high school careers at Terre Haute South into Division I collegiate careers at Indiana State and Southern California, respectively.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: Former prep athletes getting ready for fall college season
An impressive total of at least 122 Wabash Valley athletes and coaches will be competing collegiately for the first time during the upcoming school year or have changed schools to continue their careers.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: SP’s Boetjer is Indiana’s Miss Softball
South Putnam’s Brooke Boetjer, who will be a freshman on the Indiana University softball team next spring, was named the 2012 Indiana Miss Softball last month between games at the North/South All-Star games in Carmel.
-
College report: North grad Mayhew is second team all-American at IU
Indiana University running standout Zach Mayhew of Terre Haute North was honored earlier this month as a second-team All-American by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.
-
College report: Bloomfield runner to join IUPUI track, cross country teams
Bloomfield track/cross country standout Julie Riggins will be joining the developing IUPUI program next fall as one of six incoming recruits.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: Roberts takes coaching position at UNC-Greensboro
Terre Haute native Mike Roberts is continuing his climb up the college basketball coaching ladder, recently departing Rice for a spot as the associate head coach at North Carolina-Greensboro.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: Valley grads playing role for No. 13 Vincennes
A few springtime odds and ends:
-
COLLEGE REPORT: Shouse making his mark for Danville Community College
Derek Shouse definitely flew under the radar in his one season of playing for the Terre Haute South boys basketball team last winter.
Not highly recruited, he made his way to Danville Area Community College as a walk-on with the hopes he could find his way onto the court at some point. -
COLLEGE REPORT: Bullock finds sunny home to continue tennis career
Most college athletes progress along similar paths to get to their final destinations athletically, but Terre Haute South grad Taylor Bullock’s route to the Eckerd College women’s tennis team was a little different than most.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: TH South QB entertains Division I offers
Danny Etling’s trek to being a big-time college quarterback took a huge step this week when the Terre Haute South junior picked up a scholarship offer from Purdue, according to 247sports.com.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: Seibert stepping up her game
Terre Haute South grad Haley Seibert has seen the usual ups and downs of her freshman basketball season at Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne and is making the most of her opportunities this season.
-
COLLEGE REPORT: Vikings Waters, Barton excited about college basketball
West Vigo grad Lauren Dailey helped the Lady Vikings basketball program to a lot of success at the end of the 1990s, and went on to play for Eastern Illinois from 2001-2004.
- More College Report Headlines
-
Catching up as the school year winds down
Raw: Aftermath of Deadly Attack in London
Okla. Teens Get Video of Deadly Tornado Overhead
Man Shot While Questioned in Boston Probe
Raw: Kevin Durant Tours Moore After $1M Pledge
School Storm Protection Spotty in Tornado Zones
9-year-old Tornado Victim Loved Family, Singing
Weiner Launches Bid to Become NYC Mayor
Britain Attack Believed Linked to Radical Islam
Oklahoma Survivors, Heroes Survey Damage
Raw: Scuffles in London After Hacking Death
Moore Native Toby Keith Tours Tornado Damage
Raw: New Video of Deadly Oklahoma Tornado
Today in History May 22
Raw: Costa Rica Volcano Roars to Life
Texas Students Coach Teachers on Fitness
Okla. City Mayor: Up to 13K Homes Hit by Tornado
IRS Official Pleads 5th Amendment
Tim Cook Defends Apple's Tax Accounting
Raw: Students Clash With Police in Chile
Paperless Scanner, Vision of the Future
AK-47-wielding thug may be the most bumbling crook ever
Trout's cycle a boost for Angels
Kim Kardashian Flaunts Pregnant Bikini Body in Greece
NBA star pledges $1M to help tornado recovery
Shakira's Shocking Talent
Morgan Freeman falls asleep on air
GRAPHIC: Blood-Soaked Machete Killer Caught on Tape
Elin Nordegren Furious With Lindsey Vonn For Parading Kids in Public
Camera Captures Climber As He Loses Grip And Falls
Helen Mirren Meets with Dying Boy in Queen Elizabeth's Place
Crowd Chants '¡Si, Se Puede!' After Passage of Immigration Bill
DWTS Crowns a Winner
Police Ram House to End Hostage Standoff
Demi Moore a Rocks Bikini at Harry Morton's Family House
Anthony Weiner: I'm running for New York City mayor
Kate Middleton's Dress Flies Up
VIRAL: Baby makes epic soccer goal
The Hangover Baby All Grown Up
