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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - - Amid the raucous celebration following Ohio State’s 2003 national championship game win over the University of Miami, a TV reporter asked Buckeyes middle linebacker Matt Wilhelm to express his feelings at that very moment.
Wilhelm could have simply spoken about the joy that had washed over him following the dramatic double-overtime victory. But instead, he talked about his family, his hometown of
“They all made me the person I am today,” explains Wilhelm, now a starting linebacker for the San Diego Chargers. “They molded me into who I am. It was the ultimate stage and I wanted to get a shout out to them.
“It was something I thought about doing, but in that situation, everyone was so overwhelmed with joy and my brain was all over the place. But I’ve always been so proud of where I came from that it just came out.”
The feeling at Elyria Catholic is quite mutual. Wilhelm earned a full ride to
Wilhelm’s career with the Panthers contributed greatly to his setting the bar high during the recruiting process. He might have chosen a college program in which he was ticketed for a starting spot immediately. But he selected
“As a running back in college, a lack of speed catches up with you,” he explains. “You have guys running 4.3 (second 40-yard dashes). That’s why I was recruited more as a linebacker. My talents fit the mold more as a linebacker than as a running back.”
And his decision to play at
“What I felt after we won the championship was pure satisfaction,” he says. “That’s the reason I wanted to play for the Buckeyes. I wanted to go somewhere where I could win a national championship. A moment like that makes every decision I have made in my life worth it. I had realized a dream.”
The Buckeyes wouldn’t have realized their dream without Wilhelm, who registered 121 tackles as a first-team All-Big 10 selection as a senior. He led the team with 10 tackles in the title game against the Hurricanes.
And speaking of realizing dreams, Wilhelm certainly did when he earned a roster spot on the Super Bowl contending Chargers in 2003 after having been drafted in the fourth round. Another dream will become a reality when he clinches a spot as a starting linebacker, as expected, this season.
Wilhelm has yet to start a game with the Chargers, but is slated to be a starting inside linebacker in the 3-4 defense this year. His 15 special teams tackles in 2006 ranked fourth on the team. He added 12 tackles, including eight solos, from the linebacker position.
“What I’ve done since turning pro has given me a tremendous sense of accomplishment,” says Wilhelm, who recently signed a five-year extension with the Chargers and is now locked up through 2011. “I’m proud to be able to take care of my family playing the game I love.”
He would love it even more if the Chargers can reach the Super Bowl. The defeat to
“I think this team has shown a willingness to sacrifice and to continue to do things we need to do to win,” Wilhelm says. “There’s a certain professionalism here coming from the ownership on down. The ownership in particular has been very meticulous in trying to bring the right people in.”
Bringing in the right people, just as the powers-that-be did at Elyria Catholic and
He hopes the Chargers will soon feel the same way.
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Story courtesy of Red Line Editorial, Inc.