Just look at him now.
As a freshman, Grant Bohr played football for the first time under Christian Rago, who was in his first year as Aurora Central Catholic’s coach. Bohr’s only previous experience was in unsupervised neighborhood games.
“It’s just the way it happened,” said Bohr, a Plano native who felt basketball was his No. 1 sport.
That changed within a year, however.
“I just kind of lost passion for basketball and decided to focus on football,” Bohr said. “It meant a lot more to me.”
Taking it step by step, the 5-foot-10, 170-pound Bohr has climbed the ladder for ACC. A senior, he has been the team’s starter at quarterback and safety for a second straight season.
Bohr has been big again for the Chargers (5-1), who are playoff eligible heading into a 7 p.m. Friday home game against Living Word Lutheran of Wisconsin. ACC can clinch its first playoff berth since 2016.
For Bohr, he’s entering the final third of what will likely be his last season of playing football. He’s among the few and proud as the total number of players in the program sits in the mid-20s.
“I’m a little disappointed about the numbers,” Bohr said. “But I think what we’re doing this year and what we’ve already accomplished — obviously, we’re not done — is what this program needs.
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“With a winning record, I hope more people around here will be like, ‘I’m going to join football. I want to be a part of it.’”
Bohr was limited to special teams and some reps at cornerback as a freshman, then started on defense and was the backup quarterback as a sophomore.
“Coach kind of feathered me in that year,” he said. “I played in a couple games, took a few snaps.”
As Bohr entered his junior season, Rago tapped him for the starting quarterback role.
“Super scared,” Bohr said of his initial reaction. “My sophomore year was only my second year ever playing football. It was something to adjust to, that’s for sure.”
ACC utilizes an option attack with a heavy emphasis on a ground game led by Bohr and senior running back Trey Seifrid, who’s in his fourth year as a starter. That duo is bolstered by junior wingbacks Aidan Crisci and Kyle Stanislo on the edge.
Through five games, Seifrid had 516 yards rushing with nine touchdowns. The left-handed Bohr had run for 282 yards and seven TDs while completing just five passes for 139 yards.
Three of those completions, however, resulted in TDs.
“Really, his athleticism and his leadership,” Rago said, explaining his decision to put Bohr at quarterback. “The kids look up to him, and if anything, we can run the ball with him.”
Rago said Bohr’s play has improved from a year ago.
“There’s been a big change in confidence,” Rago said. “Last year, if you mentioned throwing the ball, he would shy away from it. This year, he’s all about it. If I asked for suggestions he would just say, ‘Whatever you want.’
“This year, he’s asking if we can try different things. It’s been a huge jump.”
After playing five of their first six games on the road, the Chargers finish the regular season with a three-game homestand. And Bohr isn’t looking beyond high school, either.
“I honestly really don’t want to go to college,” he said. “I want to go into a trade, either a pipefitter or concrete. My dad owns a concrete company.”
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This week against Living Word Lutheran (2-5) will be a good test, according to Rago.
“They play in a tough conference, we played one common opponent and each of us won 41-0,” he said. “It should be a good battle.”
The Chargers play an independent schedule which hasn’t been particularly strong, but getting three more wins and a good seed would be a bonus.
“We might be able to get a home game, too,” Rago said. “That would be a perfect-world scenario.”