Trevor Kovatch • Out-of-Door Academy Football

Linemen do not get the first quote on Friday nights. Trevor Kovatch is fine with that. The Out-of-Door senior, 6-foot-4 and nearly 300 pounds in a No. 56 jersey, lives in the trenches. At guard on one snap, defensive tackle on the next, and the Thunder are 3-0 because that pile has been in their control.

“Me personally, I feel like I’ve played pretty well,” Kovatch said. “Overall as a team, we’ve been pretty great. Especially last week, I think last week was big for us. Finally getting our offense emerged, matured and getting better every single game. Defense just continuing that dominance, black and white, being physical.”

He does not sell himself as a pass-rush specialist. He sells the first job in the trench. “Yeah, I pride myself in being a run stopper. So we’re always going to be a stop the run mentality first, because you know, if you establish the run game, playbooks open for everyone. So I think defensively stopping the run is the most important thing you can do.”

That is the identity ODA is riding into the Headmaster’s Cup. The defense has been the constant. The offense, he says, is catching up. Kovatch has already forced two fumbles this season. The work does not show up in a box score the way a touchdown does. It shows up when the other team’s first two runs go nowhere.

Recruiting is starting to knock. Division III schools have called. No official offer yet. He is not pretending otherwise. “It is my dream to play college football. Really hope that works out and just staying active on Twitter, staying vigilant in everything. Getting my highlight tape done and working hard.”

Ask him who he plays for and the answer is not a school logo. “Always going to be my parents. They sent me to a very nice private school. It’s their choice, they didn’t have to do that for me. They sacrificed so much time, money and everything for me. So I would say my parents, and also obviously my coaches and teammates that rely on me. I’ve got to make everyone next to me proud and lift them all up.”

Friday against Saint Stephen’s will not be won on the perimeter first. It will be won where Kovatch lives. If the run is dead, the rest of the playbook has to wait.