QB Meyer aims to take Elk Grove higher

Nick Meyer thought it was time for a different look over the winter.

The crewcut is long gone. Meyer decided to let his hair go long for his senior year at Elk Grove.

It's a throwback kind of look for a throwback kind of player who rarely leaves the field, whether he's at quarterback, safety or on special teams. Meyer looks as if he would have been a perfect fit back in the 1970s when long hair was in and Elk Grove was one of the state's premier football programs.

Now Meyer hopes to do more than just look the part of helping the Grenadiers return to consistent success. He's the focal point of a talented and much-anticipated senior class ready to go beyond last year's 7-4 finish and second round of the postseason in Class 7A.

"It's been building and building," Meyer said. "With the Nation (Elk Grove student section), everyone is talking about it. When you go around the village everyone is talking about it."

Especially with Meyer back for his third year as the starting quarterback. Going with the flowing hair that will probably peek its way out of his helmet is hardly the only change in the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Division I prospect.

"Obviously he was physically gifted last year," said second-year Elk Grove coach Brian Doll, "but when we put the pads on for a little scrimmage (this summer), you look around and say, 'Boy does he look a lot bigger.'

"He couldn't fit into his old jersey so it's nice we got new uniforms. Mentally is where he's made his biggest improvement and he's a lot more confident."

This after an all-area season where Meyer threw for 1,807 yards and 15 touchdowns with only 2 interceptions, rushed for 962 yards and 16 TDs and picked off three passes.

That was a long way from his sophomore year when Meyer got the starting quarterback job. There were a lot of lessons learned as he played alongside his senior brother Jake, who is a middle linebacker at Carthage College.

"It was a brutal year," said Nick Meyer, whose dad Jim was an all-area running back-cornerback for Elk Grove in 1978. "I was basically thrown in there with an offense that was new and expected to perform.

"It was challenging because you're a year or two younger than some of the guys you're playing with."

Those rough times eased some of the nerves and led to better times last year. Now the advantage for Meyer is he's running the same offense in successive years for the first time he can remember.

That stability has increased his ability to see the offense in a different way.

"Nick is very good now at recognizing coverages," Doll said. "He's able to recognize the defense and see where the blitz is coming from. Nick has the ability to check out of a play now where he didn't last year."

Meyer has plenty of experienced weapons to choose from this year. His ability to put points on Elk Grove's new scoreboard will determine how much playing time he gets.

"I want to stay on the field as long as I can," Meyer said.

Especially this year and beyond for Meyer, who has a 4.75 grade point average on a 5.0 scale and scored 28 on the ACT and wants to study something in the medical field.

Meyer said interested colleges have been looking at him as a defensive back or wide receiver and not at quarterback.

Meyer said most of his Division-I interest is from Ball State, Northern Illinios, Illinois State and other Mid-American Conference schools. Teams are looking at him primarily as a defensive back and wide receiver and a few schools said they plan to see his first couple of games in person.

"He's not too worried about it," Doll said.

"You can't take any plays off because they are watching and that's something on my mind," Meyer said. "But once I get in the game it's not on my mind.

"If we do better than we did last year and have a good year it will work itself out and I'll wind up somewhere."

Where Meyer is worried about ending up right now is beyond last year. The last-minute interception in the St. Charles North end zone in a season-ending 20-14 loss fueled the Grenadiers in the offseason.

"The way it ended was some definite motivation," Meyer said. "We kept it in the back of our heads all summer."

Which Meyer hopes will put him and his teammates on the cutting edge of a memorable breakthrough.