GROVE CITY — Opponents may not recognize Logan Lutz this season.

He's taller.

He's bigger.

He's quicker.

And, yes, the Grove City High junior wide receiver is scarier than ever.

“Last year on the roster he was 160,” said Grove City football coach Sam Mowrey. “He's at 185 right now. He's put a lot of time in, coming into the weight room four days a week, working hard. That even started in the spring, coming in before school started.”

Lutz hit the weight room with the same zeal he used to practice his route running and film study.

He said he figured he needed to get stronger to face the rigors of the position and the size of the corner backs lining up to cover him.

“Last year, seeing other players and how much bigger they were than me, I knew this offseason I had to get into the weight room and put some pounds on me,” Lutz said.

He's accomplished that.

Now, he wants to take his game to a higher level for the Eagles, who bounced back last year from two down seasons to go 10-2 and reach the District 10 5-A championship game.

Lutz caught 40 passes for 691 yards and eight touchdowns last season as a sophomore.

He already has 63 receptions for 1,033 yards and 12 touchdowns in his career.

“He's one of the most special kids athletically that has come through this program,” Mowrey said. “His football IQ is just off the charts and the things he's able to do is amazing. There's a lot of 'Wow' moments, like, 'How did he do that.'”

Even Lutz isn't exactly sure.

“I think it's more competitiveness,” Lutz said. “I always want to beat the guy in front of me. I want to win every rep in practice. We do one-on-one drills and fade drills in practice and that really helps a lot.”

So does running good routes, something Lutz also focused on this offseason.

“It's really important because the quarterback has to trust you,” Lutz said. “He has to trust you to run the right routes. If you are just one yard off, it could be an interception. I worked on that all offseason to make my routes real crisp.”

Lutz's weight training didn't compromise his quickness.

Lutz has the innate ability to get open.

“That's because I just want the ball,” Lutz said, smiling. “I want to get the ball all the time, so I try my hardest to get open.”

Mowrey said Lutz isn't necessarily the fastest player on the team, but he's certainly one of the quickest.

“We test the kids in the 40, and he isn't the fastest kid in a straight line, but he's the fastest in changing direction,” Mowrey said. “He can change direction, find space and does a great job catching with his hands.”

Lutz is also a ferocious blocker, which is an important skill for wide receivers to have in Grove City's spread offense.

“When you watch the film, he has the corners on their backs six, seven times a game,” Mowrey said. “And that's why he'll get into some scuffles because those guys are tired of being beat on.”

Lutz, whose father, Shawn Lutz, is the head football coach at Slippery Rock University, also prides himself in being a leader.

He's been helping the two young quarterbacks competing to replace Kameron Patterson — juniors AJ Miller and Brady Callahan — as much as he can.

“What KP told me last year, I try to tell them,” Lutz said. “I help them out and we help each other out.”

Mowrey has certainly noticed what Lutz has meant beyond Xs and Os.

“You always want your best players to be positive leaders,” Mowrey said. “He's a great kid. You watch him in practice, he's always spending time with the younger kids, showing them little details on routes and things like that. He's like a coach, not only to his peers, but to the younger kids as well. He's special to watch.”