Sanchez to Be All-Everything for Vikings

For the 32 years that Jerry Austin, and later son Jay, coached Northeast High School's football program, the Vikings were always a run-first offense.

There's a chance for a radical change from that philosophy with first-year coach Mike Jalazo and a main reason for that is tight end Augie Sanchez.

The junior may not be just a tight end any longer. Sanchez is one of the more talented players in the area and Jalazo sees Sanchez being sort of a hybrid, part tight end, part wide receiver and maybe even a fullback at times.

One of Jalazo's priorities will be to find ways to expose a defense using Sanchez.

"I wouldn't say we will put him all over the place but we will put him [at positions] where he can make plays for us," Jalazo said. "He will be somewhat like what we did with Paul Freedman at [Clearwater Central Catholic]."

While coaching the Marauders, Freedman, now a tight end at Virginia, was primarily a tight end but often he would like up as a wide receiver. Jalazo sees a lot of Freedman in Sanchez.

"He can play receiver, we can put him in the backfield, he is a dynamic football player," Jalazo said. "He can even throw the ball and run the ball."

All of this talk really gets Sanchez excited.

"I am playing a little bit of everything," Sanchez said. "That's good. It allows college coaches more chances to look at me. I'm more versatile and I they like me being an athlete and doing whatever they ask me to do will only help me on the next level.

"The only thing I am not playing is kickoff and kick return teams. I'll play wherever they want me."

And while there is a lot of talk about Sanchez playing... wherever on offense, his hidden talent may be at linebacker. Defensively, Jalazo will play multiple sets and don't be shocked if Sanchez plays a little outside linebacker.

"I think he can play in college whether as an outside linebacker in a 3-4 or maybe a defensive end in a 3-4," said Jalazo who knows something about developing linebackers. One of his former pupils, linebacker Colin McCarthy, was drafted by the Tennessee Titans this past April. Sanchez "has a great burst and great first step. He just attacks the football."

Sanchez's philosophy is simple: Just let me be on the field.

"I'm kind of a hybrid defensive end/linebacker right now," Sanchez said. "More so a defensive end. It's fun but also, it's hard at the same time but I’m learning fast."