Center Grove senior Micah Coyle is the Daily Journal’s Offensive Player of the Year in football.
Daily Journal file photo
The kind of injury that could have veered Center Grove’s season sideways instead proceeded to tighten the screws on Micah Coyle’s game face.
Next in line to take over lead ball carrying responsibilities after classmate Drew Wheat sustained a season-ending foot injury in the first half of a Week 1 victory over Warren Central, Coyle, a hard-charging senior with elite sprinter’s speed, took that role and ran with it.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound running back helped lead the Trojans to a third consecutive Class 6A state championship, finishing his final prep campaign with 306 carries for 2,072 yards and 22 touchdowns.
An IFCA Top 50 pick and a Mr. Football finalist, Coyle is also the Daily Journal’s Offensive Player of the Year.
“It was definitely an unexpected season in that Drew was going to be our main back,” Coyle said. “I realized when he came out of the game that I was going to get the ball, and I adjusted immediately.
“I play better under pressure.”
Coyle’s 221-yard outburst in the opener against the Warriors proved to be just a taste of what was to come.
Complemented by senior Jalen Thomeson (1,082 yards), another tough-yardage runner who was moved over from the defensive secondary after Wheat was injured, Coyle exceeded 100 yards in nine of the Trojans’ 14 games, and gained 200 or more a total of four times.
In a regional rematch against Warren Central, he churned out a career-best 301 yards rushing.
Center Grove’s exclusive 300-carry club also includes Carson Steele, who toted the ball 367 times as a sophomore in 2018; Titus McCoy close in 2015 with 299 rushing attempts in his junior season.
Coyle amassed nearly 1,000 yards on the ground during the postseason alone, picking up a total of 918 yards while averaging 27 carries a week in victories against Franklin Central, Columbus North, Warren Central, Cathedral and Fort Wayne Carroll.
“I knew the coaches were trying to save me a little bit (for postseason) because what matters was winning state,” Coyle said. “I was 100% ready for it. At Franklin Central, I got the ball a lot from that point.”
It’s one thing to be the next man up. Coyle, who had just 84 carries last season and 93 for his career prior to the 2022 campaign, took it to new, previously unexplored levels.
“The opportunity was put in front of Micah to be the guy on offense, and the kid had over 900 yards rushing in the playoffs. It’s his passion to run the ball,” Center Grove coach Eric Moore said. “We don’t run the ball to run the ball. We run the ball to score.
“Micah is more of a power back with elite speed. He can run 3 yards in goal line situations, but can also break it for 73 yards.”
In many ways, Coyle was the perfect avatar for what was the Trojans’ fifth state championship football team — a player hungry to make (and leave) his mark after playing in the shadow of the two previous senior classes, which were among the most talented in program history.
“I don’t think there was one person in the state of Indiana who thought we’d win state again except the players and coaches on our team,” said Coyle, who has offers from Indiana Wesleyan and Valparaiso to play college football, and was recently invited to visit Toledo. “It definitely felt fulfilling.
“And it was a three-peat, which Center Grove has never done before.”
ALL-COUNTY TEAM
The 2022 All-County offense for football:
QB Tyler Cherry, Center Grove junior: Completed 65.1 percent of his passes while throwing for 2,269 yards and 22 touchdowns against just five interceptions … An IFCA Class 6A Junior All-State pick.
RB Micah Coyle, Center Grove senior: An IFCA Top 50 selection and Mr. Football finalist … Ranked seventh statewide in rushing, gaining 2,072 yards and scoring 22 touchdowns.
RB Peyton Emberton, Whiteland senior: Earned Class 5A Senior All-State recognition after rushing for 1,365 yards and 11 touchdowns … Had seven 100-yard games.
WR Noah Coy, Center Grove junior: Set single-season school records for receptions (61), receiving yardage (1,147) and TD receptions (13) … A 6A Junior All-State pick.
TE Carter Campbell, Greenwood senior: Named to Class 4A Senior All-State team … Caught 34 passes for 281 yards and five TDs … Also made 18 tackles on defense.
TE Cameron Cooper, Whiteland senior: Caught 20 passes for 407 yards and five touchdowns for state runner-up … A 5A Senior All-State selection.
OL Reece Byerly, Franklin senior: Named to Class 5A Senior All-State team … Anchored offensive line that helped Grizzly Cubs score 24.7 points per game … Made 40 tackles and blocked a punt.
OL Charlie Gardner, Center Grove senior: A Class 6A Senior All-State pick who helped pave the way for 67 Trojan touchdowns (45 rushing, 22 passing).
OL John Lyon, Center Grove senior: Helped anchor the line for the three-time 6A state champs, who averaged 416 yards of total offense per contest.
OL Tayton Schakel, Whiteland senior: Made 5A Senior All-State team … Created space for the Warriors to rack up 4,152 yards rushing and 49 TDs on the ground.
OL Austin Wiese, Center Grove senior: Selected as one of IFCA’s Top 50 players … Spearheaded a line that helped Trojans rush for 253 yards per game.
OL Zach Yaryan, Whiteland senior: Earned All-Mid-State Conference honors after helping lead an offense that amassed 5,286 yards of total offense and 64 touchdowns.
ATH Arjun Lothe, Indian Creek senior: Quarterbacked the Braves’ dynamic new spread offense, throwing for 2,959 and 28 touchdowns … Also rushed for five TDs.
Honorable mention
Mason Calhoun, Edinburgh; Jonathan Crowley, Whiteland; Kevin Denham, Whiteland; Trey Dobson, GCA; Daniel Foster, Indian Creek; Will Hagan, Whiteland; Gunnar Hicks, Whiteland; Eli Hohlt, Center Grove; Payton Hutchins, Center Grove; Dylan Kidwell, Whiteland; Luke McDaniel, Center Grove; Josh Merriman, Whiteland; Ethan Pringle, Greenwood; Jaxon Ramey, Indian Creek; John Shepard, Franklin; Jarrett Turner, Edinburgh; T.J. Williams, Center Grove; Owen Wright, Center Grove
