The legacies of Michael Thrower, Caleb Northcutt, Tyler Glenn and Cody Robinson began over five years ago when the foursome led Warren County Middle School to a conference championship as eighth graders.
Their names became synonymous with football over the next four years when they starred for the Pioneers. Even after their departure following last season, their names can still be found in the record books.
But after spending seven years being referred to as Pioneers, Thrower, Northcutt, Glenn and Robinson have started to adjust to the new teams they currently represent.
All four former Pioneers are playing collegiate football, with Robinson the lone player still in season at Duke University.
Following their senior years, each player signed football scholarships to continue their careers.
Thrower signed with the Lindsey Wilson College Raiders. Northcutt became a Carson Newman University Eagle, Glenn inked with the Kentucky Christian University Knights and Robinson joined the Duke Blue Devils.
The opportunity to continue to play a sport they all grew up with together was too much to pass up for the former Pioneers.
Though Northcutt, Glenn and Robinson all received redshirts upon arriving to college, which meant they would spend the season watching games from the sidelines, Thrower stepped in immediately for the Raiders in their second season playing football in NAIA.
Always a star in high school, including starting at four different positions as a senior, Thrower had to adjust to being the low man on the depth chart when he arrived in Columbia, Ky.
Thrower began the season fourth on the depth chart at wide receiver, but by the time the season started he was a back-up. Three games into the season, Thrower got his first collegiate start and the highlight of the season for Thrower was when he caught his first career pass against Belhaven University in Mississippi.
Though they were separated once they went to college, Thrower and Glenn still found themselves on the same field this season.
Thrower and the Raiders defeated Glenn’s Kentucky Christian team on their way to a 7-3 season. Despite playing on different teams, Thrower knew the bond between him and his former teammate was still strong.
“It was great to play against an old high school teammate and someone I grew up with,” said Thrower. “There wasn’t much trash talking this year but with both programs on the rise I’m sure me and him will talk it up next year. We both know it’s not personal. He's just like my brother.”
Glenn spent his season playing on the junior varsity Knights. Glenn arrived to a team which had nearly 20 receivers and the college adjustment wasn’t easy. Glenn estimated every week the receivers learned 20 different routes to prepare for their next game.
Having a day revolving around football was a challenge, but Glenn was grateful for the opportunity despite missing the comforts of home.
“It’s been a great learning experience,” said Glenn. “College life and football in general is totally different than high school and I’ve met a lot of interesting people. Being away from home though has taught me how much I miss my mom’s and grandma’s cooking.”
Northcutt made a major move when he packed up and headed to East Tennessee to become an Eagle. A record-setting running back at Warren County, Northcutt has been turning heads as a defensive back in college.
Northcutt proved people wrong throughout his high school career when they doubted a 5-foot-8, 150-pound player could handle the sport, but arriving to college brought back a new set of skeptics.
Northcutt is well on his way to proving he belongs on the football field at the college level.
“I think I will get playing time next year,” said Northcutt. “My coach told me I have a good shot at playing and think I have a good heart and toughness. I’ll prove a lot of people wrong about my size.”
Robinson’s recruitment was the buzz of Warren County during his senior season. Robinson was the first Pioneer player in over a decade to be courted by many major D-1 colleges.
When Robinson chose to play for coach David Cutcliffe at Duke over Syracuse, Tulane and Kentucky, he knew it was the right choice.
Robinson has sit patiently on the sidelines as he works as an offensive guard in practice but is saving a year of eligibility by redshirting this season.
The progression should help Robinson in the long run as he gets an opportunity to master his craft over the next four years while receiving a top-notch education from Duke.
All four players share a common thought about college football. It’s unanimous amongst the group that it’s completely different from high school. But playing college football was something each have striven for since beginning their careers and now it’s a reality for each.
“College football is one of the best experiences and I’m glad I have the chance to play,” said Thrower. “It’s always been my dream to play and I’ve accomplished my dream.”