GROVE CITY - Even Grove City High School football coach Jeff Bell can't keep all the Ubers straight.

When trying to fit Kent Uber neatly into the string of Ubers that have either come through or will come through his program, Bell is momentarily stumped.

"Kent is the third," the coach says before pausing. "No, he's the fourth. I forgot about one."

It's hard to forget about what 18-year-old Kent Uber, the fourth of eight Uber brothers, has meant to the Eagles this season.

His older brothers, Ian, 24, Vaughn, 22, and Logan, 20, all came through the Grove City program. Kent Uber is just following in their very big footsteps.

"I grew up watching them play, going to all the home games and most of the road games and thinking, 'I want to do that someday,'" Kent Uber said.

Now, he's trying to be the same role model for younger brothers Isaac, 16, Austin, 14, Wesley, 12, and Jordan, 10. He also has an older sister, Marci, 26.

"I'm basically trying to do the same things my older brothers did, being someone (his younger brothers) can watch and look up to," Kent Uber said. "I'm just trying not to do any stupid stuff."

Kent Uber has been a model of consistency for the surging Eagles this season as they prepare to take on North East at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Erie Veterans Stadium in the first round of the District 10 playoffs.

After a rough first two weeks in which Kent Uber admits he didn't play his best, he has been a force as a full-time defensive tackle and part-time linebacker for Grove City.

In the first two games of the season - both losses for Grove City - Kent Uber was frustrated with his play and the play of his team.

"It gave me something to look at," the 6-foot-5, 255-pound senior said. "I knew I could play better than that. I started working harder and started to play with an extra bit of heart."

That rubbed off on the team. After giving up 35 points in the first two games, Grove City gave up just 14 in the final seven - all wins - including six shutouts.

A large part of that had to do with what Kent Uber and fellow big body Tony Aloisio did at defensive tackle, plugging up the middle of the line.

But Kent Uber was the catalyst, showing off speed that belied his size while chasing down runners from sideline to sideline.

"For a kid his size, he has good speed," Bell said. "He's athletic and a lot of times when you get kids that size, they don't move as well. But he is definitely as quick as any defensive tackle."

He is quick enough that Bell tinkered with him at tight end last season and has used him at inside linebacker in certain situations this season.

"I love it so much," Kent Uber said of playing linebacker. "I love lining up anywhere where I can hit you as hard as I can."

The adjustment has been an easy one for him, even though he has to change his philosophy from taking on blockers as a defensive tackle to shedding them as a linebacker.

The only problem has been for the Eagles' safeties.

"Some of our secondary guys complain a little bit when Kent lines up at linebacker because they can't see the quarterback over him," Bell said. "You stand him up back there, he's a big target to throw over. He gets fired up when we put him back there.

"He's done a good job," Bell added. "He's not in there as a novelty. He can play that position. We can play him anywhere. He could even play safety."

Maybe not yet. He's sticking to life closer to the action.

He's also excelled on the other side of the ball this season as an offensive tackle, opening holes for a slew of Eagle backs and pass protecting for quarterback Jim Jaskowak.

"He knows every position on the line," Bell said. "He can play guard, center. He makes the calls in the offensive huddle."

But defense is where Kent Uber likes to flex his muscles, and he believes whoever flexes those muscles the best Saturday - Grove City or North East - will emerge with a win.

He is already flexing.

"I really believe whoever can hit the hardest in the first quarter will catch the other off guard and set the tone for the whole game," Kent Uber said. "I'm hoping it's us."