ROCKFORD, Mich. — Shortly after Rockford’s football season was postponed, Rob Tadych approached his son Ben with a question.
“Are you interested in going out of state to play?” Rob asked.
The 5'9 senior Rams linebacker thought about it. Then in about three minutes came back with a surprising answer.
“I’ve been playing football with my brothers, I called them brothers, all my life,” he explained. “Just to leave them for that wouldn’t not be worth it.”
Just as he’s always done, Ben put his team first. However, he knows his selfless decision, might cost him a chance to play football at the college of his dreams.
“Two years of good varsity tape is what they want, especially senior year,” Ben said of college recruiters.
The problem is that by the time Ben gets that new highlight tape. It might be too late. After a stellar junior season, he was starting to attract attention from schools at the D-II level. They want to see more of his progress but he won’t be able to give it to them anything until the Spring football season, which is months away.
"Traditionally, it’s pretty well mapped out but this is all new territory,” Rob said of how recruitment usually goes. “Obviously one of the biggest questions I have right now is, without their being football, who is going to come scout in Michigan? That creates another dynamic.”
With games still going on across the country, the Tadychs are in a tough spot. Ben’s already has one offer from a D-III school. He could take it or wait to decide at the end of the spring. But if he does that, they are no guarantees a roster spot will be available or that D-III offer will still stand.
“It definitely scares me,” the 17-year-old admits. "But I’m not trying to think about it. I’m just trying to train and watch film, like we're going to have a season.”
And so in the meantime, that’s what he’ll do. There’s plenty of uncertainty but he’s confident, he’ll still have his moment of victory and get that offer.
“It’s going to be awesome. Tears of joy are going to come from me.”
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