Coach Analysis: Callahan Blair
VandySports.com caught up with Calvary Christian head coach Reggie Crume to discuss Vanderbilt signee Callahan Blair. Calvary Christian finished the 2022 season with a 10-3 record.
- On what kind of player Vanderbilt is getting in Callahan Blair:
Reggie Crume: "He’s got a high motor. He is high energy. He’s a player that loves football. Callahan loves the process and the grind of working towards being great even past the Friday night lights or Saturday afternoon lights if you know what I mean. He’s a guy that is a tremendous worker. Obviously, his size and athletic ability are through the roof. Being a former gymnast, he can do a lot of things. For a guy that is 6-foot-4 and 220-pounds right now, he’s got tremendous core strength, athleticism, and just being able to bend. He’s really benefitted from his years in gymnastics. Callahan is going to be a great player, but he’s going to be an even better person.”
- How Blair’s skill set translates to the college game:
Crume: "Obviously at the college level, schools are trying to put defensive players in space. Callahan is guy that is very versatile. He can come off the edge. He’s a relentless pass rusher with a high motor. He’s also athletic enough to drop into coverage and play in space. He can make plays.”
- On his favorite memory of Callahan Blair:
Crume: "There’s no question to what my favorite memory of Callahan is, but hopefully there’s more to come this upcoming season. We were playing Clearwater High School. You will see this play on his highlight film. One of our defensive linemen forced a fumble on the quarterback. Callahan scooped it up and stiff armed their running back. He literally drove him into the ground with the stiff arm and then carried the ball forty yards for a touchdown. The most beautiful thing about that play is that kid had actually transferred there from our school. There is no question that was my favorite memory of Callahan and possibly our season.”
- On his leadership qualities:
Crume: "Callahan is respected among his teammates. He was a team captain as a junior for us. He is a kid that even our players talk about when out in the community. People ask if they know Callahan Blair, and they talk about how he is a great kid. He’s not only respected in our locker room, hallways in the high school, but he’s also respected in our community as a whole.”
- On his speed:
Crume: "He runs well. He hit 19 mph on the catapult, which a lot of colleges are using nowadays to check the athletes’ in game speed. He’s hit 19 mph and almost 20 mph on the catapult. He’s moving for a guy that size.”