It’s not uncommon to see freshmen and sophomores cracking the starting lineup on the football field at a Class 3A high school like Tri-West — so Chris Coll couldn’t tell if his son Clayton was Division I college material.
It didn’t take much time for Clayton to convince his father after the Colls moved to Franklin last year.
“Once we got on the field, as the season progressed and you watch him on film and stuff, I felt more and more confident that he was truly a Division I kid,” said Chris Coll, entering his second season as the Grizzly Cubs’ head coach. “When we took him to camps last year after his junior season — we hit Ball State and hit Miami of Ohio — it became more and more obvious that he was that kind of player.”
Clayton, entering his senior season at Franklin, entertained a handful of Division I offers before verbally committing to Ball State.
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Though much of his playing background is at safety, he’ll likely spend his collegiate career at linebacker, which he played for the second half of last season. His experience in the secondary should prove beneficial in the Mid-American Conference, where an abundance of spread offenses often have linebackers playing out in open space.
The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Coll worked out as a defensive back when he went to offseason camps at colleges, and he believes that made an impression.
“I felt that the safety background really helped me and showed that I was a versatile player,” he said.
So did his performance on the field for Franklin last season. Coll led the area in tackles last season with 144 in just 10 games, including a high of 18 against Greenwood.
Being raised as the son of a coach helped Coll develop a deep understanding of the game at an early age. As his body caught up with his mind, Clayton’s ascent to stardom didn’t surprise anyone — especially his father.
“He’s grown up in the meeting room with other coaches,” Chris Coll said. “His football IQ is extremely high. His physical frame is very appealing, at this level and the next level. He’s long. … He’s 6-3, 220 and moves well. So the combination of the football IQ from growing up like he has to where he’s at physically now makes him a pretty special player.”
Fans of the Grizzly Cubs hope that Coll can help steer the team in a positive direction this fall. Franklin has gone 1-9 in each of the past three seasons, but there’s reason for optimism after last year’s squad made many of those losses much more competitive.
For Clayton Coll, there’s even more urgency to help Franklin succeed. He’s on track to graduate in December and enroll at Ball State for the spring semester, so his time as a high school student is ticking away quickly.
“Graduating mid-term, second year here, last season in high school, definitely going play on in college, it really kind of opens up your eyes to, ‘Okay, this is it. This is your last go,'” he said.
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Date;Opponent;Time
Aug. 17;at Columbus North;7 p.m.
Aug. 24;Shelbyville;7 p.m.
Aug. 31;Perry Meridian;7 p.m.
Sept. 7;at Whiteland;7 p.m.
Sept. 14;Martinsville;7 p.m.
Sept. 21;at Mooresville;7 p.m.
Sept. 28;Plainfield;7 p.m.
Oct. 5;at Greenwood;7 p.m.
Oct. 12;Decatur Central;7 p.m.
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1. Which opponent’s field is your favorite/least favorite and why?
“My favorite that I’ve played on would be Brownsburg, but we don’t play them anymore on our schedule. My least favorite? Shelbyville. I’m more a fan of turf fields, and Shelbyville doesn’t have one yet.”
2. What other position would you play if your coach let you?
“Probably wide receiver, because that’s what I’ve played in the past as well as cornerback.”
3. Which school that is not on your schedule would you love to play against?
“Not really. I’m pretty happy with our schedule and who we’re playing; I think it’s good competition to test us.”
4. What’s something about this year’s team that will surprise people?
“We’re going to be fast and we’re going to play with a lot of effort, and I think we’re going to surprise a lot of people because I think we’re going to win more games this year than we have in the past.”
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Coach: Chris Coll (2nd year)
Last season: 1-9; lost to Martinsville 24-21 in Class 5A sectional opener
Key returnees: DL George Admire, OL Kody Buck, LB Clayton Coll, DB Tyce Miller, DB Justin Smith and LB DeAndre Ward, seniors; QB Drew Byerly, WR Noah Crow and DL Alex Dokmanovich, juniors
Outlook: Chris Coll’s first season ended with just one victory, but Franklin was much more competitive across the board, losing five games by five points or less after taking eight double-digit defeats a year earlier. Can the Grizzly Cubs start turning those close games into victories?
“We’re still in a serious developmental mode,” the coach said. “I think our nucleus in terms of commitment is growing, but … we’re still working on culture.”
The Grizzly Cubs will need to make up for some lost size up front on both sides of the ball, but there are some strong pieces to build around. Clayton Coll, a Ball State recruit, was the area’s leading tackler a year ago, and he’ll be counted on to spearhead a defense that also features a top-notch cover corner in Miller. Offensively, Byerly is in his third varsity season under center and should be a factor both running and passing the ball.
Notable: The Grizzly Cubs haven’t had a winning season since 1996, and they are 6-34 since their last .500 campaign in 2013.
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