Andrean sophomore Javier McCoy’s enthusiasm is unmistakable.
A running back and linebacker, McCoy showed glimpses of his vast ability as a freshman last season. But he was limited to six games, primarily on offense, by a back injury as the 59ers reached a Class 2A semistate.
After receiving offers from Purdue and Toledo in June, the 6-foot-2, 210-pound McCoy is eager to display his full repertoire on both sides of the ball.
“I’m excited,” he said. “I’m ready. I’ve been putting a bunch of work in. I got faster, more explosive. The team’s looking good.
“I’m just trying to stay healthy, been eating healthy. I’m just trying to be positive and bring a lot of energy.”
McCoy ran for 367 yards and four touchdowns on 78 carries last season and also made two tackles. But in the 59ers’ regional victory against Lafayette Central Catholic, he put up 176 yards and three TDs on 32 carries.
“He had a great regional game against Lafayette Central Catholic,” Andrean coach Chris Skinner said. “A lot of people in the playoffs were like, ‘Who’s this kid? Where’d he come from?’ We were just waiting for it. We wanted him on the field from day one.”
McCoy missed the season opener against Merrillville with what initially was thought to be a muscle issue and made his debut against Valparaiso in Week 2. He continued to play, but his back injury flared up again.
Further imaging revealed a small fracture, known as a pars defect, in his L5 vertebra. With that diagnosis, McCoy embarked on a physical therapy regimen tailored to that injury. He was sidelined for seven straight games.
“I never got injured like that, so it was hard,” he said. “But it was fun coming back.”
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Indeed, McCoy was 100% for the sectional championship game against Bremen.
“Everything’s good now,” Skinner said. “It was good by the end of last year. He had a really good offseason. He got a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger, a little bit faster. He ran track. All of that was really good for him. He’s moving very well.”
McCoy, who was part of the 59ers’ 400-meter relay team that qualified for the regional in the spring, has impressed junior Ethan Reyna. Another running/linebacker who is a Division I prospect, with a list of offers that includes Purdue and Rutgers, Reyna has spent considerable time with McCoy.
“He’s a freak athlete … He’s a hard worker,” Reyna said. “Me and him are like a one-two punch at running back.”
Reyna also is confident McCoy will make a considerable impact on defense with an increased opportunity.
“Over the summer, it’s amazing to see him develop at that outside linebacker position,” Reyna said. “He’s just a great linebacker too.”
With his tools and skill set, McCoy could play running back or linebacker in college.
“He has a very bright future ahead of him,” Skinner said. “He’s a very dedicated, intrinsically motivated athlete. He wants to play college football, and a lot of people say they want to play college football. But he actually puts in the work.
“A lot of schools see his athleticism, his size, his power and say, ‘Man, we can do a lot with this.’ When they see a 15-year-old who’s that size and runs well, they’re like, ‘Yeah, we’ll sign up for that. We’ll figure out where to play you.’”
Skinner praised both McCoy and Reyna for having “bought into our team-first culture.” He added that they’re “about the betterment of the team.”
In addition to McCoy and Reyna, senior offensive lineman Ben Novak is a Wisconsin recruit. Northern Illinois freshman Jimmy Finley starred at defensive back and wide receiver for the 59ers, and Notre Dame standout junior linebacker Drayk Bowen won Mr. Football as a running back/linebacker in 2022.
“That’s one of the things that’s nice about our program,” Skinner said. “There seems to be this mentoring of those types of kids who go through the process, the recruiting process. They know what it takes to go from freshman year to senior year.
“So Javier’s not the only one, but he’s kind of like the next one. He has a lot of potential. It’s like, ‘Now it’s your turn to carry the mantle, kid. As a 15-year-old, you’re expected to be a major part.’ That’s a lot to carry. But he’s super talented.”
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