All-Area Defensive Player of the Year: Trey DePriest

Springfield linebacker has an extra gear

Springfield High School linebacker Trey DePriest is the 2009 Springfield News-Sun All-Area Defensive Football Player of the Year.

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By Brian Plasters, Staff Writer 6:57 PM Wednesday, November 25, 2009

SPRINGFIELD — What makes a great high school football player? Speed, strength and aggressiveness are a good start.

But Trey DePriest has something else, that extra gear that he finds at just the right moment.

It is difficult to define good football instincts, but easy to see. It’s a burst of speed to sack the quarterback, a cutback on a run to gain a first down, or getting open downfield for a long pass.

DePriest used all those skills to his advantage this season.

“I really don’t know how I got it. It’s just natural,” DePriest said.

He’s a natural at just about every position. The Springfield High School junior rarely left the field this season as a linebacker, running back, quarterback, punter and kicker.

DePriest (6-foot-1, 219 pounds) made the biggest impression on defense. The 2009 Springfield News-Sun All-Area Defensive Player of the Year led the Wildcats with 101 tackles, including seven sacks and three other tackles for a loss of yardages, and three fumble recoveries.

“Just like coach (John) Cupps says, ‘Run downhill and hit stuff.’ That’s what we do,” DePriest said.

He also rushed for 812 yards, caught 13 passes for 202 yards, scored 13 touchdowns and 93 total points, had a 37.7 punting average, and was named one of four Greater Western Ohio Conference Central Division Athletes of the Year.

“He’s very football smart,” Springfield head coach Rick Robertson said. “He understands the game and what’s going on. When you give some kids a scouting report, I think they understand parts of it. Trey can take it to heart.”

With DePriest making plays all over the field, Springfield finished 6-5 after a first-round loss to Dublin Coffman in the Division I, Region 3 playoffs.

As for the college recruiting, DePriest has scholarship offers from several major college programs, including Alabama (currently No. 2 in the Bowl Championship Series standings), Cincinnati (No. 5), Pittsburgh (No. 9), Ohio State (No. 10), Virginia Tech (No. 14) and North Carolina (No. 24).

“I don’t really think about it until I need to, and during the season wasn’t one (of those times),” DePriest said. “They had their season going on and I had mine.”

And what a season it was.

ontact this reporter at (937) 328-0366 or bplasters@coxohio.com.

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