Taking advice to heart works for Larkin's Schue

The light in Cody Schue's head went on last season as he listened to Larkin assistant football coach Adrian Barbera address the team during practice.

Then a 6-foot-2, 265-pound junior defensive end, Schue was already enjoying a successful 2008 season, one in which he would go on to earn all-Upstate Eight Conference honors for recording 40 tackles, 16 for a loss, and 5 quarterback sacks.

But as he listened to Barbera speak about what it takes to be successful - what it takes to play football in college - Schue knew he could be doing more. His success as a junior had been somewhat surprising, largely because he hadn't trained with the rest of the Royals in the off-season. He entered his junior year as an unknown quantity.

Barbera ended his talk by saying anyone interested in playing at the next level should see head coach Matt Gehrig and ask him what kind of commitment it takes to play college football. Gehrig played at Eastern Illinois University.

Schue, who said it has been his dream to play college football ever since his team won the Pop Warner Super Bowl when he was 10 years old, took the initiative the following day.

"He came to me in locker room and said, 'Coach, what's it going to take for me to get to the next level,' " Gehrig said. "It clicked with him at that point after that brief conversation that he'd have a chance to be a college player.

"Since then it's been like night and day. Everything he did last year was basically without putting in a year in the off-season program. What we're seeing from him now is the result of being completely dedicated to getting better. That's the difference between guys who are solid contributors and guys who are defensive difference makers."

Schue came away from the conversation with a better grasp of the effort necessary to play at a high level, on the field and in the weight room.

"(Gehrig) told me I just had to go out every play as if it was my last time playing, like it was the last play I would every play," he said. "That's what I do every time now."

Schue also dedicated himself to Larkin's off-season training program and excelled in it. He grew an inch to 6-3 and put on 25 pounds of muscle while remaining remarkably athletic for a player his size. Blessed with good coordination and foot speed, he returned for his senior season as a 290-pound two-way force in the trenches.

The 17-year old benches 310 pounds, squats 440 and can dead lift 420 pounds off the floor with an Olympic straight bar. One Royal here or there might put up slightly higher weights in one category or another, but Gehrig said "Cody's overall the biggest and strongest guy on the team, no doubt about it."

Working out with his team in the off-season opened Schue's eyes to what he had missed the year before.

"It was a lot of hard work, but it wasn't just me in there," he said. "There was an atmosphere to it, having a ton of guys in there. Working hard in front of your peers to show them you can do things - it motivates you. Having your whole team in there watching you lift and yelling for you to get up a certain weight is just like a football game in a way. You get them all in your face.

"One day we had to tear down and do 100 reps of squats. I have coach Gehrig on one side of me cheering me on - "Get it done! Get it done!" - and I have my team behind me cheering me on. There's just a good feeling, knowing the coaches care and your teammates support you."

Schue is using his improved strength to great effect for the unbeaten Royals (2-0). In two games as Larkin's strongside offensive tackle, he and fellow linemen Camerin Martin, Cory Ulrich, Eric Lindsey and Garret McDaniel have paved the way for back-to-back 100-yard games by senior running back Jalen Williams, 320 rushing yards and 470 total yards. He is also Larkin's long snapper on punts and field-goal attempts.

Schue lines up in the five-technique as a defensive end, aiming for the outside shoulder of the strong-side tackle. His job is to make contact and not vacate his gap unless the quarterback drops back to pass.

His raw strength is undeniable. Larkin was leading its season opener at McHenry 13-6 in the fourth quarter and the Royals had the Warriors backed up against their own end zone. Schue rushed from his end position and was held in the end zone, resulting in a safety that helped the Royals prevail 15-6.

"I love playing defense," he said. "That's my pride and joy right there."

Schue is better at his pride and joy as a senior, thanks to the pride he took in making himself into a college prospect.

"I can count on one hand the number of times Cody has missed a workout from last December to the start of the season," Gehrig said. "He finally made his mind up he was going to do all he could do to maximize his potential."