This time last year, Harrison Meyer was hoping to be Sandburg’s varsity quarterback. He battled for the starting job, but ultimately lost out to Christian Evans.
Meyer took the news in stride and focused on the other side of the ball as a starter at safety.
Now a senior, he has become one of the Eagles’ most valuable defenders.
“It wasn’t a letdown not getting picked as the quarterback because if my team is succeeding, I’m succeeding,” Meyer said. “That’s how I look at it. Christian’s a great quarterback. I love him as a friend and as a teammate.
“I wanted to be in a position to win, whether at safety or quarterback. I love football, so if I’m on the field, I’m happy.”
Meyer helped the Eagles (5-5), who slot in at No. 10 in the Daily Southtown’s preseason rankings, make the playoffs for the first time in six years.
Sandburg coach Troy McAllister was thrilled with the way Meyer bought in to his role as a full-time defensive player.
“When you have two athletes like Christian and Harrison, they’re going to get on the field,” McAllister said. “It was just a matter of where.
“Harrison moved to safety, and he just got better each week and ended up having a strong season.”
Evans also credited Meyer with making him into a better quarterback.
“I consider Harrison a brother,” Evans said. “Whatever we’re doing, he’s definitely motivating me to get better. We never got into a fight or anything like that. It was never serious like that. He was just always there to help me and push me.”
Meyer played both quarterback and safety on the sophomore team during the abbreviated season in spring 2021.
Getting a chance to focus solely on defense, Meyer feels he learned a lot last year.
“I’m a completely different player,” he said. “Last year was a big adjustment — now I’m getting into it. I think I’m a lot stronger. I know the scheme a lot better.
“Now, I’m able to help other guys and lead. I wasn’t as vocal last year. I’m just ready to make a bigger impact.”
That leadership is vital for Sandburg, which returns seven starters on offense but only three on defense.
“With a whole bunch of new guys on defense, you need a guy like Harrison just to make sure we’re lined up right and guys know what they’re doing,” McAllister said. “He does a great job communicating and getting the message across.”
Meyer thinks his experience at quarterback gives him a huge advantage at safety.
“As a safety, I read the quarterback,” he said. “As a quarterback, you read the safeties. So, you see tendencies from both sides. You get to know the positions a lot more when you’ve played both.
“I think I’m well-suited now to have success in the mental game.”
Last season, the Eagles lost four of their first five games.
With their backs against the wall, needing to run the table to make the playoffs, they did just that by finishing the regular season with four victories in a row, including upset wins over Lincoln-Way East and Homewood-Flossmoor.
Sandburg takes that momentum into 2022, with a new attitude surrounding the program.
“We’ve been overlooked since before we even got to high school,” Meyer said. “Last year was a turning point. Now, we have a newfound identity. We’re not just looked at as an automatic win anymore, and we want to prove that’s correct.
“We love being in the spotlight and having people wonder what’s next with this team. Last year, we were under the radar. Now, there are eyes on us, and that’s what we want.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
Team: Sandburg.
2021 record: 5-5.
Offensive leaders: Walter Davis, senior, receiver; Christian Evans, senior, quarterback; Eric Mitchell, senior, lineman; Andrew Selle, senior, receiver.
Defensive leaders: Nathan Biskup, senior, linebacker; Brandon Futrell, senior, defensive back; Harrison Meyer, senior, defensive back; Michael Rydell, senior, lineman.
X-factor: Lance Somerfield, senior, kicker.
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.