Lutz, Adams lead revamped GC attack
GROVE CITY — Just before summer workouts began, Grove City High football coach Sam Mowrey approached junior wide receiver Logan Lutz with an intriguing proposal.
It was also one that would require lots of extra study time for Lutz.
“We would get the quarterbacks and receivers together,” Lutz said. “And I would run some reps at quarterback.”
Mowrey wanted Lutz, one of his most dynamic playmakers who was coming off a season in which he caught 40 passes for 691 yards and eight touchdowns, to learn every position on the field.
Lutz jumped at the opportunity.
“I can understand the whole offense,” Lutz said. “I'm capable of playing any position.”
He's been more than capable.
While taking several snaps a game at quarterback in a hybrid Wildcat formation, Lutz has rushed for 348 yards on just 31 carries and two touchdowns.
He had just 14 rushing attempts for 43 yards and three scores a year ago.
“It's surprised me a little bit,” Lutz said. “Definitely the thing that's helping is our offensive line is so good.”
The line has been the engine that has helped the running game go.
Grove City has gained 952 yards on just 158 rushing attempts in three games and have found the end zone 13 times.
To put that in perspective, the Eagles rushed for just 1,057 yards in 10 games in 2015 and 2,145 in 12 last season.
The commitment to the run has been a bit more emphasized this season with quarterback Kameron Patterson gone to graduation and Brady Callahan filling that role.
“At any level of football, you must establish the run,” Mowrey said. “It's a big part of our offense.”
Grove City came into the season with four of its five starting offensive linemen lost to graduation for 2016.
The Eagles, though, found out quickly they had a plethora of depth on the line and have rotated players in and out of the lineup all season.
That has given the line fresh legs at the end of games.
Lance Craig, Seth Davis, Joey Kosick, Brad Cavolo, Logan Minch, Nick Smither, Jake Bush, Nick Lanschak, Ron Howard and Shawn Woods have all seen significant time up front.
“We use about nine or 10 offensive linemen in a game,” Mowrey said. “They know they can go out there and work as hard as they can and if they need to rest, we can bring someone else in. The depth has been real important. We also have a real physical set of receivers outside.”And they have a physical runner in Trey Adams at fullback to complement Lutz running out of the quarterback position.Adams, a 6-foot, 180-pound bruiser with some shiftiness, gained 936 yards on 186 carries last season and has 258 and seven touchdowns already this season.“I think a big thing is I don't think a lot of teams can key on me,” Adams said. “We're not just a one-trick pony. We have a lot of guys who can run the ball and we have a lot of weapons, especially now with Lutz running.”The diversity is one of the reasons why Grove City has won 15 of its last 17 games, the only two losses coming against Meadville last season.Callahan is also a threat to run or throw. The junior has completed 78.4 percent of his passes this season for 261 yards and has also rushed for 146 yards and a score.Grove City has called a higher percentage of designed runs for the quarterback this year.And Lutz and his teammates are taking full advantage.“Now, with Logan in there, you have that extra element,” Mowrey said. “We have a couple of different packages in for him.”Lutz isn't just a runner out of the hybrid-Wildcat. He's completed 3-of-5 passes for 18 yards.“It's a little different,” said Lutz, who is usually on the other end of the pass. “But I like it.”
