Like it or not, plans change — by necessity — when injuries happen. From his experience at Oswego East, junior running back Obadiah Carlson understands that as a football fact of life.
Even so, he couldn’t help but have mixed feelings about an injury in the first quarter of the Wolves’ season opener that resulted in him getting a boost in playing time much sooner than he expected.
Two weeks ago, Carlson began that game at Joliet West working behind senior starter Ty’Rel Thomas, who then sustained a noncontact torn ACL knee injury to end his season.
“It was supposed to be a 1A, 1B role for us with me in the backup role,” Carlson said of his team’s preseason approach. “Ty’Rel being a senior, there’s a lot to learn from guys like that.
“It was definitely one of the things I was looking forward to, learning to be a better player.”
Suddenly, the 6-foot, 205-pound Carlson was next up for the Wolves (2-0). Thomas had seven carries for 37 yards before the injury, but Carlson has proven to be ready for the expanded role.
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Carlson carried the ball 24 times for 150 yards and three touchdowns in a 28-14 win over Joliet West. He followed it up with 29 carries for 79 yards and two more TDs in a 22-14 win at home over Willowbrook.
“It’s definitely a great feeling,” Carlson said. “It’s a little surprising how it’s gone on my end, but not surprising to me is our team’s success.
“I always feel like my team is going to do great no matter what team I’m on.”
Carlson suffered a broken ankle his freshman year in track, stepping on a relay teammate’s foot handing off the baton. It sidelined him that summer and the first half of his sophomore year.
He had hoped to get a taste of varsity football action that fall.
“It was very tough coming back, dealing with both the physical and mental aspect of things during the rehab,” Carlson said. “Even this past spring in track, I felt a little sluggish at times.
“But I’m fully back and no longer worry about recurring injuries.”
As a junior, Thomas was the backup to senior workhorse Jasiah Watson and started on defense to get playing time.
“He was kind of waiting his turn, playing a position that was not his natural position,” Oswego East coach Tyson LeBlanc said of Thomas. “He started every game at nickel safety, kind of an outside linebacker.
“It’s unfortunate because he’s a good kid who has worked very hard to increase his recruiting stock.”
The road gets tougher this week for the Wolves, who are scheduled to open their annual Southwest Prairie West gauntlet at Minooka (0-2).
“A quality opponent,” LeBlanc said. “You can’t look at their record. They’ve played two good teams and do a lot of things offensively.”
Oswego East also has six sophomores starting in some capacity. Carlson lines up behind one of them in quarterback Carter Meindel.
“Ty’Rel was going to be the guy and we’d rotate ‘Obi’ in and move Ty’Rel to slot receiver,” LeBlanc said. “It’s a committee now.
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“(Carlson) is a big body kid that can move. He has the ability to break the big ones, but more importantly, the ability to wear out a defense.”
Carlson did burn Joliet West with a 77-yard TD run but still credited his offensive line.
“It didn’t surprise me, well, maybe a little bit,” LeBlanc said. “Because Joliet West isn’t a slow team. Kids understand how to take angles in varsity football, and the fact ‘Obi’ was able to make those angles disappear was special.”
Carlson confirmed that he always knew his coaches thought he was a good player.
“I definitely caught other people by surprise for sure,” he said. “Not a lot of them came in thinking the junior with no varsity reps was really gonna do too much.”
The goal now? Keep showing them.