When Maverick Ohle decided to leave Ohio University, he didn’t have to look far to find his next destination.
The Naperville Central graduate transferred to North Central College last year, and the 6-foot-2, 282-pound defensive tackle made a quick impact for the NCAA Division III power during his sophomore season.
“I knew I would come here and be part of a successful program and be close to home,” Ohle said. “It was an easy decision.
“If you want to be in DIII, this is the place to be. It’s been great.”
Ohle is a big part of NCC’s plans to replace John Sullivan, a Lakes graduate who was named the Division III defensive player of the year by The Associated Press last season. Sullivan anchored a defensive line that helped the Cardinals advance to the national championship game for the sixth straight season.
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After working with Sullivan and getting acclimated to the program on and off the field, Ohle is ready to take charge. He and Graham Wight, who moved to defensive tackle from end last year, made a pact going into this season.
“We knew that the two defensive tackles would be Graham and I,” Ohle said. “We knew he would come into his own. We knew I needed to take a big step. We worked all offseason to do that.
“Once we got into camp, we just decided that we were going to be the most violent unit we could be.”
Ohle and Wight will get their first chance to show that Saturday, when the top-ranked Cardinals will play No. 2 Bethel at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium in Naperville in the season opener.
“Obviously guys like JP don’t grow on trees,” NCC coach Brad Spencer said. “You want your leaders that graduate to be remembered, not missed. That cycle, we’re used to it.”
Ohle made 35 tackles with seven for loss and two sacks last season, when he was an All-CCIW first-team selection and All-Region third-team selection. But his success didn’t happen overnight.
“It took some time because of JP Sullivan,” Ohle said. “He was an amazing player. I knew he was good. I didn’t think he was that good. Then I found out.
“At first, it was hard to play next to him just because he created that much attention. But then as he and I developed our relationship, he just made me a better player, and I made him a better player.”
Spencer knows Ohle has the potential for stardom too. Playing down the street for Naperville Central coach Mike Ulreich, one of Spencer’s former teammates at NCC, Ohle was on Spencer’s radar in high school.
“The sky is the limit for Mav,” Spencer said. “We thought that since he was 17 years old. It just takes a little bit of time. He’s put the work in, and that’s the thing. You have to put the work in. He’s done that, so there’s trust there.”
Ohle found out about the harsh business of college football quickly at Ohio. After winning the MAC championship in 2024, coach Tim Albin resigned to take the job at Charlotte. The players heard the news on the bus ride back to Ohio a day before Ohle’s birthday.
“The future was uncertain,” Ohle said. “I knew I had to get into the portal.”
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Once Ohle chose to return to his hometown, he quickly became ingrained in the Cardinals’ program.
“When I got here last year, the first thing I realized is that North Central is its own little community,” he said. “It’s completely different from the rest of Naperville. Guys come from all over. The relationships have been amazing.”
Paul Johnson is a freelance reporter.