Klein combines physical skills with mental toughness to create the ultimate football player
Wednesday, October 8, 2008 3:14 AM
By
Steve Blackledge
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
Kyle Robertson | Dispatch
Ohio State recruit Storm Klein, eluding Big Walnut defenders in the Division III final, played much of that game with a lacerated kidney.
A tough guy usually doesn't have to proclaim his toughness. Dirty Harry, a Clint Eastwood staple, was a man of few words, but the aura surrounding the character and his subsequent actions justified his reputation.
That swagger has followed Storm Klein since he was promoted to the varsity football team in the fourth game of his freshman season at Licking Valley.
Klein rushed for 163 yards in his first game, then solidified his status with five 100-yard performances in the next six games.
"The nerves were there, but I knew deep down I could play with the older kids," said Klein, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior running back/linebacker who has committed to Ohio State. "I kind of let it be what it was. The coach asking me to come up and help the varsity. Was I surprised at how well I did initially? To tell you the truth, not really."
That attitude figured prominently in the decision by Panthers coach Randy Baughman to make Klein only the second freshman in Baughman's 27 seasons to play on the varsity. The other was running back/defensive back Grant DeBevoise (1993-96).
"People around here had known about Storm for a long time," Baughman said. "It was no secret that he was bigger and faster than everyone else his age, but we soon learned after he joined the varsity that he was mentally prepared to handle the pressure. Not that he's ever been a cocky kid, but he was plenty confident in his ability."
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