There’s nothing low-octane about Libertyville senior Jacob Syc.
When the Wildcats’ defense is on the field, Syc’s No. 52 jersey never seems far from the ball.
“At the end of the day, I’m just trying to make a play, get out there and keep my teammates from struggling,” he said. “I’m trying to do all the work so they don’t have to do as much.”
Syc takes on a lot, whether he’s knifing through a hole as an outside linebacker or shaking free from multiple blockers on the defensive line.
Syc did both, and seemingly everything else in between, during Libertyville’s 21-6 win win over defending North Suburban Conference champion Warren last week.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Syc, who is spending more time at linebacker this season, helped the Wildcats (1-2, 1-0) hold Warren scoreless on five drives into their territory. He finished the game with six tackles, increasing his season total to 16.
“It was bend-don’t-break, really a physical game,” Syc said. “I was getting double-teamed on almost every play. But it ended up being about who wants it more and who can make the plays happen, and we made them happen.”
Syc always plays like he wants it more than anyone else, and he was front and center on two of the biggest plays in that game.
First, Syc barreled into a gap to stop Warren junior running back Amari Conley on a fourth-down carry in the second quarter. From the Libertyville sideline, it wasn’t hard to see who blew up that play.
“He was getting double-teamed and got off it, so that was pretty cool,” Libertyville coach Tim Budge said. “He has such a high motor on defense — super fast with a lot of quarterback pressures, sacks, really good in the run game, the whole nine yards.”
On Warren’s next possession, Syc got a hand on a pass by senior quarterback Xavier Vinson, and senior linebacker Kaden Butt reeled in the ball and returned the interception 42 yards for a touchdown.
For Syc, that play highlighted some of his roles this season.
“I’m playing outside linebacker this year, so it’s kind of new to me, dropping into coverage and coming off the edge,” he said. “I have to cover and also be big enough and strong enough to get behind the offensive line.”
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Syc knows a few things about the offensive line too. He started at left guard in the first two games of the season and switched to center last week after an injury forced some realignment.
Libertyville’s coaches trust Syc to play that technically difficult position without any experience.
“This year, the added component has been him playing on the offensive line for us,” Budge said. “He doesn’t come off the field very much, and we’re in great shape because of him on offense helping us out.”
Syc was happy to do it.
“I had never really been an offensive lineman, but they needed me, and I had to step up,” he said. “If they need you, you have to step up, or else somebody else will. You have to be that guy.”
Syc has already noticed some similarities between his positions on offense and defense.
“It’s about putting your head down and hitting somebody,” he said. “I really don’t know what I’m doing as a center, but if I’m blocking somebody, I know I’m doing something.”
Syc’s impact isn’t limited to making plays, however.
“He’s a big role model for the team because he gets everybody up and hyped,” Libertyville sophomore linebacker Cade Christensen said. “All the pregame jitters get out because of how he gets everyone hyped.
“It helps me out, and I’m sure it helps a lot of other people out on the defense. I actually don’t know what I’d do without that.”
In short, the Wildcats rely on Syc, who believes the win over the Blue Devils is a turning point after nonconference losses to Geneva and Naperville North.
“They’re a very physical team, probably the most physical team in our conference, and we definitely beat them in terms of physicality and grit,” he said. “We wanted it more.
“We’re here to make a statement that we will not lose another game from here on out. That’s a promise.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.
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