Jeff Chaney
Sports Scene
MIDLAND – With all his attributes, honors, and great play on the field in 2011, Steve Elmer never really had to be a vocal leader of the Midland football team.
It’s not that the imposing 6’6″, 315-pound offensive tackle for the Chemics couldn’t have done that last year, but he was a junior on a team of seniors, especially on the offensive side the of ball.
Elmer is the only returning offensive player on a Midland offense that racked up 3,833 yards, including 2,671 on the ground. The Chemics averaged 39 points per game while posting a 9-2 record.
Last year, Elmer earned all-state status playing right tackle.
“It’s definitely a different feeling this year, having to step up and be a leader,” said Elmer, who has already committed to play for Notre Dame next year. “Before, we had all those seniors, so it’s definitely a different feeling having to help guys out this year.”
But, according to coach Eric Methner, Elmer is the perfect guy to be leading any team.
“Steve has a 4.4 weighted GPA, he’s involved with student ambassador, he’s just an unbelievable young man,” Methner said. “He came in with a body we knew he could grow into and has worked very hard to get stronger. His approach in the weight room and for his conditioning are great.”
And it shows, as Elmer has a 580-pound squat and a 350-pound bench, and he ran 4.95 seconds at a high school combine last year.
When replacing all of last year’s seniors, like fellow offensive lineman Andrew Wylie, who is playing at Eastern Michigan University this year, and Joe Vieau, who is playing at Michigan Tech, Elmer is confident that the group of Chemics this year can keep up the winning.
“I think we are going to do really well,” Elmer said. “A lot of people may think that with me the only guy back on our offense, that we may take a step back. But I think this team is going to step up and be very good. We have the talent on this team.
Aside from trying to help his teammates get ready for the brutal Saginaw Valley League, Elmer wants to work on some of his own game.
“Of course I want to continue to get bigger, faster, and stronger, but I also want to focus on lining up, looking at the guy I have to block and go and destroy,” Elmer said. “It’s a mental thing; I know where I’m going, now I just need to go and destroy. I need that killer attitude.”
With an attitude like that, Methner believes his star offensive tackle will be just fine in South Bend.
“I think he’ll do super at Notre Dame,” Methner said. “He knows he is going there to get a great education, but with his work ethic, he’ll do just fine on the football field.”
Before Elmer heads south, he does have some high school goals left.
“I’d definitely like to win a state championship, but that’s a long way down the road,” Elmer said. “But what I would really like is to win the SVL. I haven’t won one of those since I’ve been on the varsity.”