2007 Advocate Football Defensive Player of the Year: Storm Klein, Licking Valley
In first full season at LB, Valley's Klein develops, dominates at frenetic pace
By JOSH HACHAT
Sports Writer
HANOVER -- It was in the moments Licking Valley was cleaning out its locker room after the first-round playoff loss in 2006 when Storm Klein got the news defense might be a more prominent part of his future.
But having more fun wasn't exactly his first thought.
"I was actually thinking I was going to be more tired," Klein said. "I just thought it was going to be more of a load on me."
The junior couldn't have been more mistaken.
Klein, an Ohio State commitment, transitioned smoothly while playing linebacker full-time for the first time in his high school career and ended up with a dominant individual year in an impressive 2007 for the Panthers.
But Klein also said he's never had more fun playing football, and that was mostly because he was the one delivering big hits all season.
The numbers -- 86 tackles and 12 for loss -- speak for themselves and, for that, Klein is The Advocate's Defensive Player of the Year.
"I just had a blast," Klein said. "I love the game, but I really had a lot of fun on defense. It surpassed what I thought it was going to be."
Klein also ended up having a season that far surpassed the lofty expectations he, coach Randy Baughman and a Valley fan base -- that soon extended into an OSU fan base after Klein's commitment in the fall -- initially had placed on the talented 6-foot-3, 220-pound junior.
He still carried the ball, rushing for 1,509 yards and 28 touchdowns, but he progressed at a rapid pace on defense. Spectacular individual performances and punishing hits dotted the regular season, perhaps far faster than Baughman had anticipated.
