Libertyville junior Erich Walldorf is all caught up.
Walldorf held his own as a starting middle linebacker last season, but there were times when he didn’t feel entirely comfortable.
“I’ve always been physically up near the top of my class, and that’s given me confidence,” he said. “Last year, it felt like the game was so much faster and almost everyone I was playing against was older. This year, everything is slowed down, and I have more time to think.”
It doesn’t take much time to notice that the 6-foot-2, 210-pound Walldorf has become one of the most dependable players on a much-improved but still unsung defense this season. He has a team-high 43 tackles for the Wildcats (7-0, 5-0), who have allowed just 10.1 points per game and have been rolling through the North Suburban Conference.
“This year, I’m able to recognize plays way better, and I have a better idea where the ball is going,” Walldorf said. “I have a much better football mind, and a big part of that came from playing last year.”
Libertyville coach Mike Jones has noticed that about Walldorf too.
“His football IQ has really increased,” Jones said. “You can just tell he gets it. He’s to the point where he can tell other people what they have to do.
“He’s also strong and physical and very versatile. He really doesn’t have a weakness.”
That didn’t happen by accident. Walldorf said he tries to learn as much as he can about the finer points of the game.
“I follow a lot of coaches on social media who repost clips and analyze and break down different situations or plays,” he said. “So I’m consistently seeing more football video and being exposed to more instead of just watching highlights. Then I keep it in my mind once I see something.”
When Libertyville’s attention turns to its upcoming opponent each Monday, the linebackers convene to watch film together. It quickly becomes clear that Walldorf has done his homework.
“Before the coaches come in, I’ll fire off questions at the guys about the team we’re playing, and Erich always knows the answers,” senior linebacker Caleb Baczek said. “Our motto for the year on defense has been ‘discipline,’ and he’s taken that another step. He’s always in the playbook, and he’s full-go 24/7. He just works his butt off.”
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Walldorf also wrestles for Libertyville and is a high-level rugby player. Football and rugby have some things in common.
“Since there aren’t any pads, I’m definitely more sore after rugby,” he said. “Any time you get hit, you feel it the next day. But literally the entire game correlates very well with football. There’s a lot of tackling, and you’re always pursuing the guy that caught a pass.”
Walldorf plays for the New Trier Rugby Club, which won the state title last year. He also spent 10 days in Ireland over the summer with a select team that included players from around the United States. Walldorf said he intends to try out for a similar trip next summer.
“We stayed in dorms in an old boarding school near Dublin,” he said. “We would wake up, have breakfast, practice, have lunch, practice more and then be done for the day. It was a really cool experience. Being over there really brought our group together.”
On the football field, Walldorf felt things coming together from the get-go this season. The Wildcats pitched a 43-0 shutout against Lemont in the opener and kept Richards running back Myles Mitchell, a North Dakota State commit, under wraps in their 48-15 win the following week.
“I felt really good in that game,” Walldorf said. “Competing against a guy like that at a high level made my confidence really grow.”
Walldorf feels especially confident on running plays, which he has noticed is a focus for opponents early in games to keep Libertyville’s prolific offense off the field. It hasn’t worked.
“Reading and reacting to the run is something I’ve gotten really comfortable doing, and I feel good against pretty much any run scheme,” Walldorf said. “I definitely don’t lack in being able to defend the pass. But I love to play physical, lining up and hitting somebody.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.