Weber receiver Batchelor not going it alone


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OGDEN — It is nearly impossible to be a great athlete if one doesn’t have it in their blood.

Obviously, Karl Malone-like training regimens, proper nutrition and great coaching help, but trying to create a great athlete without a genetic lineage of athleticism is like building a house without a concrete foundation. Weber State freshman wide receiver Drew Batchelor is the product of such a lineage of athletic genes, as his late father played football at then-Dixie College, and his grandfather, Gary, played both basketball and baseball at BYU.

The youngest Batchelor, who played as an overall athlete for Dixie High School, was frequently the best player in southern Utah and had the ability to “take it easy” at times on the field. However, he said that college football is an entirely different story.

“(College football) is definitely different,” said Batchelor, who earned first-team all-state honors last season. “In high school, you could coast a little bit and get by; if you’re a top-notch player, you could take practices off, take plays off and get by. You can’t do that on this level.

“The one thing that is really different is filming everything in college. They film practice, they film scout team and they film everything down to the smallest things. And, if you’re taking plays off, they can notice it.”

Batchelor, who won the 2012 state title with the Flyers, had several options out of high school and was courted by several in-state schools. He said the new feeling around the Weber State program ultimately brought him to Ogden.

“The whole coaching staff is what brought me here,” he said. “And, from what I’ve heard, Weber is great at pre-med, and I want to go into the medical field, eventually. That’s what it’s really about is getting your career, and falling back on something.”


"(College football) is definitely different," Weber receiver Drew Batchelor said. "In high school, you could coast a little bit and get by; if you're a top-notch player, you could take practices off, take plays off and get by. You can't do that on this level."

With several southern Utah coaches moving to Weber, the recruiting ties to Batchelor were already fresh. Wildcats offensive coordinator Steve Clark said the Dixie wide receiver showcased several tools that were appealing to colleges.

“Explosiveness (is what set Drew apart),” he said. “You get a lot of good high school players that are good high school players, but you need that explosion.”

Hill, who also recruited Batchelor at Utah, said he was quick to get into contact with him as soon as he took the Weber job because he believes the Dixie alum can be a contributor for the Wildcats.

“He’s fast and he’s dynamic,” he said. “When he was in high school, he was probably one of the more dynamic players in the state of Utah. He was impressive; there’s no doubt. I still think he’s got a lot to work on as far as route-running and recognition of coverages, but when he really figures it out, he’ll be expected to be a great player.”

In order for Batchelor to improve at the little things, he will surely rely upon Weber receivers coach Fesi Sitake. He said Sitake has a knack for improving players’ habits.

“Coach Sitake is a great man,” he said. “He knows the little things, and he talks about details all the time. He’s a good guy, funny to be around.”

For a freshman college football player, life is far from ideal. No longer are they the best player on the roster, and no longer can they merely jog through drills; instead, freshmen are expected to be conditioned the same as upperclassmen players who are more physically developed. On top of that, the same freshmen players are expected to learn a playbook that is exponentially bigger than their high school one.

With all of that in mind, it is important for a younger player to find an older figure who is experienced in the ways of college sports. Again, Batchelor has that in his grandfather, Gary, who went on to win state titles in football, basketball and baseball as a Hall-of-Fame coach at Moapa Valley High School in Overton, Nevada, after finishing his playing career at BYU.

Batchelor said his grandfather is a tremendous resource for him to vent his feelings to.

“(My grandpa) talks to me a lot about how to handle myself and how to be mature about everything,” he said. “(He advise me on) how to handle myself in public, and behind closed doors to be a good man and do the right things.”

Besides his grandfather, Batchelor also speaks to his high school coach, Dixie’s Blaine Monkres, about the trials and tribulations of fall camp.

“(Coach Monkres) said, ‘Be ready, fall camp is something different than high school camp,’ and I said I didn’t think it would be much different,” he said. “Then, I called him about the first week in, and told him I was crazy to not think that. Obviously in high school, you have two-a-day practices as well, but just all the film study, meetings; it’s a job. I never thought it would be that way.”

Monkres’ message of hard work has made an impression on the freshman and is a main reason why he continues to rise up the wide receivers’ depth chart. Still, Hill noted Batchelor still has several areas to improve upon.

“He’s got to continue to learn the playbook,” he said. “The more he knows, the faster he’ll start playing. He’s still got more speed in him than even we see on the field, just because he’s still thinking a lot, so we’ve got to get him through the process. But, he’s made a lot of plays the last couple days, and I’ve seen him get better.”

However, Batchelor plans to take it all in stride as he works towards bigger and better goals throughout his career.

“Eventually, I want to work into the starting position,” he said. “Obviously, right now I’m working my way up the depth chart, but I think it’s just step by step. Eventually, starting position, then being all-conference, and then, I want to be an All-American by my senior year. I want to be able to have the chance to be in the draft and maybe play in the NFL someday. But, if that doesn’t happen, get my education and go to school.”

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