Friday, August 25, 2000Highlands' Grover All-American on, off field
By Ray Schaefer
Enquirer contributor
Highlands' Brent Grover calls himself a good supervisor when his fellow linebackers have to clean the Bluebird locker room.
Brent Grover
(Michael E. Keating photo)
| ZOOM |On the field, the 6-foot-4, 243-pound senior is also being named one of America's best at sweeping away opposing offenses.
“Right now I don't feel too much pressure,” said Grover, beginning his third season as the starting middle linebacker. “We're expected to do well.”
Grover has been named a preseason All-American by CNN/Sports Illustrated, SuperPrep, Dick Butkus Football Network, Prep Football Report and ESPN. He has Penn State, Notre Dame, Tennessee, Michigan Kentucky and Georgia Tech after his services for next year.
Last year he had 157 tackles, two interceptions, two sacks, 11 tackles for losses and a blocked punt.
“He's a very good tackler and he's very aggressive,” said SuperPrep publisher Allen Wallace. “He has the size colleges are looking for; he has the speed.”
Beechwood coach Mike Yeagle, who saw Grover during a scrimmage two weeks ago, also raves.
“He's incredible,” Yeagle said. “He's graceful for his size.”
Yeagle was talking about Grover this season, but he could have said the same thing the last two years. As a sophomore in 1998, Grover had 150 tackles and a Tennessee scout said then he was ready to offer him a scholarship on the spot.
In June, Grover won the Class AA state discus and finished second in the shot put. But football is his first love — he could recite Cincinnati Bengals heights and weights as young as age 3.
“I was just obsessed with the Bengals,” Grover said. “I'm sure my parents got a little tired of hearing about how tall Boomer Esiason was.”
Grover also hurts people as a tight end: 31 catches for 405 yards last year despite an ankle injury that diminished playing time.
“I was behind (UK sophomore) Derek Smith my sophomore year at tight end,” Grover said. “I feel more comfortable at linebacker. Last year I got a little hurt and I didn't play much tight end.”
Grover says defense takes a little more skill. He calls the defensive plays and has to know what the other 10 players do on any given snap.
“Defense is more instinctual,” he said. “You have to be able to read plays.”
Where did Grover get his talent? It's the heritage: His father, Edgewood cardiologist Rick Grover, was a linebacker/guard and prep All-American at Highlands from 1968-70, and his maternal grandfather, Carl Yeager, was a football, baseball and basketball star at Newport.
These days, Dr. Grover runs the video camera and answers questions about Brent from his patients.
“I couldn't catch a ball if it was handed to me; that's why I was a guard,” Dr. Grover said. “I just sit there (at Brent's games) and grin and enjoy every minute of it.”
Grover plays golf when he's not tossing running backs for losses. He averages about 43 strokes per nine holes, which would get him a spot on most high school teams.
“Our football team could field a pretty good golf team,” Grover said.
Grover is strong in the classroom, too. Dr. Grover said his son carries a 4.58 GPA on a 4.0 scale (extra credit is given for advanced placement courses) — good enough for third, fourth or fifth in his class.
Dr. Grover said his son is considering studying pre-med in college.
“He said (to me), "You're part of everybody's lives,”' Dr. Grover said.
Grover had 14 tackles and an interception to help Highlands beat Louisville Trinity 42-29 in the season opener last Saturday.
But Grover focuses more on the Sept. 15 game against Elder because the Panthers gave Highlands a 35-14 defeat last year — the only loss Grover has suffered.
“Our real goal is just to go undefeated, play well every game,” Grover said. “We want to make a statement by going undefeated.”
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Highlands' Grover All-American on, off field