Hillsdale cornerback Matt Soderdahl, left, attempts to strip the football from an opposing player last season.
Submitted photo
The life of a redshirt freshman might be as behind the scenes as it gets for a college football player.
Hillsdale College cornerback Matt Soderdahl, a former Center Grove player who experienced his year away from game competition in 2021, is now grateful for his year of invisibility.
“At the time, I definitely felt I wasn’t ready to play at that level,” said the 21-year-old Soderdahl, now a redshirt junior for the Chargers, a Division II squad in southern Michigan. “Your freshman year of college is a blur with classes, football and just figuring out life.
“I do appreciate them not throwing me out there.”
Hillsdale’s coaches now can’t imagine not playing Soderdahl, a factor both defensively and on special teams the past two seasons.
In his first season of eligibility, Soderdahl finished with 36 tackles. He followed that last fall with 48 tackles — third best on the team — and was named the Chargers’ top defensive back at Hillsdale’s postseason banquet in November.
Nine of the corner’s tackles were for loss, and Soderdahl led Hillsdale in pass breakups with four. His best outing statistically in 2023 was a 12-tackle performance in the Chargers’ 35-21 loss at Tiffin, a game that also included him forcing and recovering a fumble.
At 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, Soderdahl often finds himself attempting to shadow faster and taller receivers. Hillsdale is part of the Great Lakes Valley Conference, which includes the University of Indianapolis, among others.
The redshirt junior’s offseason workouts were tailored accordingly.
“I definitely focused on sprint training and jumping,” Soderdahl said. “As an undersized defensive back, I have to be in the right place at the right time and be able to make explosive plays.
“The biggest thing that has changed for me is being able to mentally process the game faster. The speed and the feel for the game is just way more increased.”
Soderdahl isn’t the only former Center Grove player on the Chargers’ roster. Garrett Keith, a redshirt junior tight end, is expected to play a significant role in Hillsdale’s offensive plans this season.
Even with another year of athletic eligibility remaining following the 2024-25 school year, Soderdahl isn’t entirely committed to a return. He graduates in December with a major in financial management, and already has a job lined up starting the following month at an Edward Jones Investments branch in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Furthermore, he and former Center Grove classmate Gillian Mason have been dating since right before the start of their freshman year of high school.
“I absolutely love football, and this will be my third season getting field time. But I’m ready to get on with my life,” Soderdahl said. “I’m not ready to give up football, but I am ready to be done with school. It’s a catch-22.”
There’s also the chance — albeit slim at this point — that Soderdahl puts his name in the transfer portal following this season in an attempt to see what other athletic and academic opportunities might present themselves.
Whatever the case, Hillsdale defensive coordinator and cornerbacks coach Steve Otterbein anticipates another productive season from Soderdahl, starting at home Sept. 7 against UIndy.
“We all saw Matt’s attention to detail, and his focus, even before he got to campus,” Otterbein said. “He’s a very intelligent player. You can tell Matt is a student of the game, and it’s important to him.
“And he plays with a little bit of a swagger, too.”
