OREM — Orem High School's Ryan Freeman might be about as close to a coach's ideal player as anyone can be.
Freeman, a junior lineman for the Tigers, seems to have the complete package. On the field, his 6-foot-4, 265-pound frame alone is intimidating to opponents. But his play also backs it up. It's a rare occurrence when a defender manages to get past one of Freeman's blocks to make a play. Coaches throughout Utah Valley consider him to be one of the top lineman around.
"He moves really well for a big guy," Orem coach Robert Steele said. "He just has good feet quickness for his size."
Off the field and on a personal level, Freeman is well-mannered, a hard-working student, and remarkably humble and focused for a 16-year-old that's already getting recruiting attention from some major Division I universities.
Since the year started, letters and packets have started to come in from the likes of Oregon, Arizona State, and even Notre Dame. Over the summer, Freeman visited Boise State's campus and found some interested coaches there as well. But it doesn't seem to be going to his head.
"I think 'How do they know who I am or that I even play football?' " Freeman says. "It's cool, but I've got to just play. I can't get cocky or anything. I really want to get a scholarship, get a good education, and get some college playing time."
What more could a coach want than the combination of a 3.85 GPA and a 295-pound bench presser without an ego?
Freeman is the latest product of a family tradition of football players. His father was a two-year starter in high school in California and now coaches the Orem freshmen team. His two older brothers both went through the Orem High School program. The latest, Mark, graduated last year with first-team All State honors. Lots of coaching and encouragement from home have helped Freeman become a force on the football field, but the most impressive thing isn't just his pancake blocks, but his unassuming, team-first attitude.
"I just go after it," Freeman says when asked how he sees his role as a player. "I really don't care if people see me. That's the best thing about being a lineman. You don't get any credit, but you decide the game."
When he's not playing football, Freeman keeps himself busy with his school work and a few other extra-curricular activities. If you ask him what his favorite subject in school is, he'll probably list every single one of his classes individually. His favorite program to watch on TV — besides football of course — is the History Channel. He also loves music and started learning to play the guitar over the summer. He's learned that being smart off the field is a very important part of being a successful lineman.
Last year, while just a sophomore, Freeman was already seeing some significant minutes in varsity games. One of the most poignant memories of his career so far is last year's state quarterfinal playoff game against Timpview, where Orem came back from a 27-0 deficit at halftime, only to lose the game 27-21 when the Tigers couldn't punch the ball into the end zone on a last-second goal line stand.
"It was just a horrible feeling," Freeman remembers. "We were one inch short — to think that we could have gone to the semifinals or even the finals and the state championship."
The memory of that loss has helped motivate Freeman and his team to work towards some lofty goals this year.
"We want to win region and take state," he says. "We've got some awesome guys on our line. But I just want to be a team player. I just want to do my job."
Those are just the words any coach loves to hear.