Head and shoulders above: BG’s Kaput bucking trends as a 6-3 running back
If all the starting running backs in the Mid-Suburban League, or the entire Chicago area for that matter, got together for a group photo, Buffalo Grove High School's Matthew Kaput would stand out immediately.
This is just a casual estimate, but the typical high school running back these days is maybe 5-foot-9 and super quick. There are a few exceptions.
Kaput is completely beyond the ordinary. With a last name made for an XFL jersey, he stands 6-foot-3, dominates the offense for the 3-0 Bison, and also starts at linebacker.
In fact, he excels at linebacker. His blitz and quarterback hit in the season opener against Hoffman Estates forced an interception and helped turn the game in Buffalo Grove's favor. When toting the rock, he's piled up 485 rushing yards in three games.
“He's got to know a lot and he's a smart enough kid to handle it,” BG coach Jeff Vlk said. “He's kind of the whole package right now.”
To anyone watching a decent amount of high school games, Kaput's size at running back is almost alarming to see. From his perspective, he's just out there living his football life.
“To be honest, I haven't really thought about it,” Kaput said. “I could see why people think it's unusual.
“One of my favorite players in the NFL is Derrick Henry. I always loved watching him at Alabama when I was growing up, then at Tennessee and Baltimore. Still being as old as he is (32) and as big as he is (6-3, 252), usually you'd think they wouldn't last that long in the NFL. He's someone I looked up to.”
Kaput may end up playing linebacker or tight end in college. He's got several FCS and Division II offers, with likely more on the way. But he's never wanted to give up the running back spot in high school.
“Running back always felt like home to me,” he said. “I love to be in the trenches with the O-line, be able to find the hole and push for extra yards.”
As a youth player for the Buffalo Grove Bills, he started out on the offensive line and spent a few years as the fullback in a Power-I offense, but he’s been carrying the ball ever since.
He's also a third-year starter at running back. Buffalo Grove had a couple of thin classes the previous two years, so Kaput and the current senior group received heavy playing time since they were sophomores, which meant enduring 2-7 and 3-6 campaigns.
“It was obviously tough not winning a lot of games those couple of seasons, but it really helped us grow,” he said. “It helped us get better at the game in general. We knew it was going to get better, especially with how hard we were working.”
The payoff has arrived at Buffalo Grove, with three convincing wins to start the year and a battle of 3-0 teams coming up Thursday at Conant.
“We've been very gritty in practice,” Kaput said. “This group really wants to win after these past two rough years. Our battles are mostly won up front, it seems. I wouldn't be anywhere without my line. They really push me for greatness.”
And that last name could be an amazing marketing tool, especially for a linebacker. Per Merriam-Webster, kaput is defined as utterly finished, defeated or destroyed.
All he knows is there was a great grandmother who emigrated from Germany and married a man named Kaput.
“We don't really know the story behind it,” he said.
No worries, just don't change a thing.