Whether it’s at linebacker or defensive end, it doesn’t matter where senior co-captain Neil Glynn plays as long as he’s making a difference for Richards.
Add a strong measure of confidence and determination and you’ll understand why Glynn usually has a smile on his face, except when he’s chasing down opposing quarterbacks.
His play leaves someone else with a smile — his coach, Tony Sheehan.
“He’s been kind of in and out,” Sheehan said of Glynn. “We’ve been rotating him from linebacker to end, and he’s just a team guy. He’s a strong kid, works really hard at his craft.
“He’s very versatile.”
In Friday night’s Class 6A first-round playoff game against Hubbard, Glynn delivered as a defensive end for the Bulldogs in a 55-7 win over the 14th-seeded Greyhounds.
Glynn’s sack on third down for third-seeded Richards (8-2) put Hubbard (5-5) on its heels and forced a punt. Junior running back Austin Synoga followed with a 23-yard touchdown.
Early in the second quarter, Glynn came up big again, administering a massive hit on senior quarterback Ares Boelter. It caused a fumble that was recovered by junior defensive back Khalil Lavalle.
Five plays later, the Bulldogs were back in the end zone, building a 35-0 advantage that made the rest of the game academic.
“We came in knowing we were going to win,” Glynn said. “The whole thing was we’ve got to dominate and put points on the board. Start early.”
The 6-foot-2, 215-pound Glynn has played baseball his whole life and only got into football as a freshman because current senior teammate Quinn Hunt implored him to come out.
The message was simple. Give it a try. It’ll be fun. Glynn ended up starting on the JV team and has kept playing ever since.
So, what’s so fun about playing defensive end? Take the fumble-causing hit he put on Boelter as one example.
“The whole goal was they’ll never get a single yard,” Glynn said. “The guy came up and he got right there, I made the hit, and the ball came out.”
That’s the point. Getting up close and personal with an opponent, going one-on-one and proving who’s the tougher guy.
Senior defensive end Phillip Robinson, the bookend on Richards’ D-line, confirmed that Glynn is a disruptive force.
“He just causes havoc,” he said. “The whole defense causes havoc, but he’s like a brother.”
It’s the thing that makes Richards potent and a dangerous playoff team — the bond between Glynn and his teammates.
The Bulldogs will need that in the second round against either Chatham Glenwood (6-3) or Bloomington (5-4). Those teams play Saturday, with the next round tentatively scheduled for the following Saturday.
Last spring, Glynn was an all-conference selection in baseball. He loves both the sports, but there’s something about the camaraderie of football that’s very appealing.
“We have a great brotherhood over here,” he said. “Everyone one of us are friends, and we all love each other. It’s just the guys … they make it so much fun.”
As for the future, Glynn hopes to play baseball in college. He will likely study civil engineering.
Although he hasn’t made his choice yet, he has specific criteria. It has to be a smaller school with small classes and the opportunity to be better acquainted with his professors.
But there’s still the rest of this football season to go and then baseball in the spring. And he’s going to apply his leadership skills to this team.
“Most of it is making sure the guys are ready,” Glynn said. “Once that game is on, you’ve got to keep making sure they have energy.”
Gregg Voss is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.