Valparaiso senior Sam Venard didn’t hesitate.
When coaches approached Venard over the summer to talk about adding cornerback duties to his usual ones at wide receiver, the 6-foot, 170-pounder embraced it as an opportunity.
“They just kind of asked me, like, ‘You’re one of our playmakers, so we just need you to learn the position,’” Venard said. “I was like, ‘I can do that.’ As the weeks went by, I became a starter, and I was like, ‘OK, well, here we go.’
“It was very, very out of the blue. But the team needed it, so I’m glad I was able to step in.”
Indeed, Venard, who didn’t start playing football until middle school and whose only experience playing corner before this season was sparingly in eighth grade, has stepped in rather seamlessly. He has 16 tackles with an interception and a fumble recovery for the Vikings (5-3, 4-2), who will close the regular season Friday night with a Duneland Athletic Conference game at Lake Central.
Venard has also managed to make 16 catches for a team-high 318 yards and two touchdowns, which is tied for the team lead.
Valparaiso coach Bill Marshall hasn’t necessarily been surprised by Venard’s ability to adjust.
“Each week, he progressively keeps getting better and better and better,” Marshall said. “We’re just really excited for him. To have him be able to play both sides of the ball as a skill player is really, really cool.
“It’s not often you find a skill player that has the ability to go ahead and line up and run vertical routes on offense and then turn around and have to chase those same routes on defense. His stamina and how in shape he is is really remarkable too. He’s been able to go ahead and do those things and, again, progressively get better and better week by week.”
Venard is enjoying his expanded time on the field. He agreed he has held up well physically and mentally. He prepared for it.
“You’d think that playing both sides consistently is tiring,” Venard said. “But you don’t realize that if you work hard and put in the work in the offseason, you don’t feel as much of a toll on your body, which is cool to see.”
It’s been cool for senior safety/wide receiver Ty Lamb to see Venard succeed on both sides of the ball. They’ve been close since Venard moved from St. Charles, Illinois, in sixth grade.
“He’s probably the most positive and real friend on the team,” Lamb said. “He only wants what’s best for everybody, and he was super willing to flip to defense this year because that’s what the team needed.
“I know that was hard for him because he’s a receiver at heart, but he was so willing to make the switch. It’s really just been a benefit to him and the team. We’re together every day — and he’s my favorite golfing buddy.”
Venard began his high school career on the freshman team but moved up to varsity late that season. He earned a starting spot midway through his sophomore season and then made 36 catches for 442 yards and two TDs last year.
Venard, who has also competed in the 100 meters and the long jump for Valparaiso’s track and field team, entered this season on the upswing.
“I’ve felt myself being a lot faster and more technically sound, kind of like I grew into my body a little bit more,” he said. “Then just the offseason work, working out, doing track, that all was great. That all helped as well.”
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Venard should be in position to continue to play football in college. There has been mutual interest with Butler, Valparaiso and North Central College, which has played in the Division III national championship game in each of the past six seasons and offered him a full scholarship for academics as long as he maintains his grades. He would like to add to that list by the time the season ends.
Venard has been recruited as a receiver, but Marshall said not so fast.
“He’s really diversified his ability to go play college football because he’s seen both sides of it,” Marshall said. “It’ll make him a better receiver and a better defensive back. At the college level, coaches will tell you, ‘We’re going to look at your ability,’ then they’re going to put you where they want.”
Venard wants to study finance in college. He gained a degree of perspective when he went to the Dominican Republic for a week over the summer on a mission trip through Calvary Church, along with teammates including Lamb and senior linebacker Evan Courtney, one of the captains.
“We had the opportunity to serve with my youth group over the summer, and we just went to share the Gospel and just share encouragement with the people in the Dominican,” Venard said. “It was a really, really good experience.
“It really humbles you as well. It’s like, ‘Wow, I come from so much. My problems are so much less compared to them,’ and the people were so grateful too. It was really fun and just a great experience.”
Since Venard returned, he has enjoyed his experience with the Vikings, who will play Penn in the Class 6A sectional semifinals on Oct. 30.
“I’ve had a really good season,” he said. “It’s been fun playing both sides of the ball. My first year playing corner and receiver, just being able to help out on both sides, it’s been great to be able to do that.”