Due to his AAU basketball background, Kareem Orr had no problem being in the spotlight. As a result, the opportunity to produce immediately in high school football wasn’t too big of an adjustment.
The 5-foot-11 Notre Dame receiver and defensive back is one of a handful of freshmen who have been able to come in and produce right away for area programs, something that is becoming a trend. Sometimes due to necessity and other times simply because of undeniable talent, ninth-graders are getting the chance to get on the field directly out of middle school.
Orr, Bledsoe County’s Nathaniel Collins, Tyner’s Kalan Hardley and Cleveland’s Raekwon Bunion are among the ninth-graders who have contributed to their teams’ success thus far.
Notre Dame coach Josh Sellers said Orr’s chance came because a former Irish player moved to Arizona.
“A spot opened up for him during the summer,” Sellers said. “We weren’t sure if he was the right guy — we had to see what he was going to do over the summer — but we thought that was a position he could nail down. He kind of separated himself from the rest of the pack.
“It was his position to begin with, therefore it was his to lose.”
Orr has responded with 17 catches for 190 yards and two scores, as well as 28.5 tackles and an interception on defense. With the Irish’s desire to pass more in 2011, it became apparent that Orr was going to be vital.
“He has soft hands and the ability to catch everything his way,” Sellers said. “I think that he has this confidence, that he expected this sort of success from day one. We as coaches weren’t sold, but he’s come out and proved he can handle it.”
Collins has worked his way into Bledsoe’s lineup with some incomparable physical attributes. The 6-foot-4 freshman has improved on the field and is getting more opportunities to perform.
“We have kids that have the ability to do things on the field, but his ability is unmatched,” Bledsoe coach Jason Reel said. “He’s a threat on offense; we feel like he has no ceiling as far as his potential.
“The only thing that could stop him is if he grows to 6-10, and there’s no telling considering how young he is now.”
Collins also is a talented basketball prospect.
Damon Floyd has started a freshman in all but one of his six seasons as Bradley Central’s head coach. Current junior quarterback Bryce Copeland got his opportunity as a ninth-grader and in his second-ever helped lead the Bears’ first victory over rival Cleveland since 1989.
“When I was a freshman at Red Bank, you were lucky to get on the field by your junior and senior year with all the talent they had,” said Floyd, who graduated from Bradley in 1995. “It used to be rare, but in recent years it’s like if you have a kid that’s good enough to play, he’ll play regardless of what grade he’s in. “