Friday Night Hero: South Rowan’s Andrew Moody
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, November 11, 2009
By Mike London
mlondon@salisburypost.com
LANDIS ó Offensive line coach Jarrod Smith confiscated a black steering wheel from a retired lawn mower and solemnly hangs it in the locker of a South Rowan player each week.
After film is graded, the steering wheel goes to the Raider who engaged a defender, sustained his block right to the whistle and produced the “longest drive” of the week.
Wide receiver B.J. Grant earned the symbol once for driving a potential tackler 15 yards down the field, but the wheel has almost become the personal property of versatile senior Andrew Moody.
“Eleven games. Moody’s got the wheel eight times,” Smith said.
Smith expected good things from Moody, even though Moody wasn’t happy as a junior. He wasn’t thrilled with his playing time, and when he did get into games he didn’t give coaches enough reasons to make a lineup adjustment.
“Last year, I wanted to play more, but when I did get chances I had just hadn’t prepared myself the way I should have,” Moody said.
Smith saw changes in Moody over the summer. He saw renewed dedication in the weight room. Like many members of South’s Class of 2010, Moody had decided to go out with a bang.
When it came time for South’s two-platoon selections in late summer, Smith had enough faith in Moody to trade a pair of draft choices for him.
“I really needed Moody because he had experience all over,” Smith said. “I knew we could use him at guard, tackle or center.”
Moody is now South’s regular right guard, although he’s also played tackle. He’s lined up as a tight end at times, and he filled in at center at practice after starter Steve Erwin was stricken with the flu and handled the snaps.
“Is Moody the offensive lineman of all offensive linemen? No he’s not,” head coach Jason Rollins said. “He doesn’t have that kind of talent or that kind of size. But what he does have is heart and a very tough mindset, and you’ll take that every time over talent without the heart.”
Even after pushing weights all summer, Moody looks more like a linebacker or defensive end than a starting O-lineman.
He started August at 215 pounds, but the heat of summer and the collisions of autumn have worn him down to a shade below 200.
“A lot of people doubted Moody could perform on the O-line, but he’s quick, he stays low and he has excellent footwork,” Rollins said. “He gets after it. We have to calm him down.”
Moody’s versatility has never been more valuable than in Friday’s rugged 27-20 win at East Rowan.
“East had the strongest, toughest guys we’ve faced since West Rowan,” Moody said. “But we played harder in the second half than we did in the first.”
Unable to move early against the Mustangs between the tackles and struggling to pass-protect on the perimeter, South changed several matchups by shifting Moody to left tackle.
South eventually paired both its large O-lineman inside, and Jeffrey Daniels (275 pounds) and David Archie (290) got Thomas Lowe rolling. On the outside, Moody helped the Raiders break the 68-yard sprint by QB Blake Houston that snapped a 13-13 tie in the third quarter.
“I blocked the defensive end first, and then a guard got him,” Moody said. “Then I saw two linebackers. I turned the one that was nearest to Blake. Then I’m chasing Blake down the field, watching him run through people.”
On Houston’s 15-yard dash that provided the decisive points, Moody again made a key sealing block on the edge.
And when he arrived for practice on Monday, Moody saw a sight that has become very familiar.
A black steering wheel was hanging in his locker.