Brains, Brawn, and Brotherhood fuel Sandfoss’ final season at NCC

For Newport Central Catholic senior Will Sandfoss, football has always been more than blocking and tackling. It is about understanding the game, leading by example and making sure the guy next to you is ready for whatever comes next.

That approach is exactly why NewCath head coach Stephen Lickert describes the 6-foot-5, 280-pound offensive lineman and Marshall commit as “another coach on the field.”

“It means everything to me,” Sandfoss said. “It is a great compliment to me and my family, but it also means I am doing my job. I am currently battling an injury trying to get back on the field for my senior season. I would not be doing my job if I was not holding my teammates and myself to the highest standard possible.”

Sandfoss has been a mainstay at tackle for the Thoroughbreds, but his versatility is one of his calling cards. Over his career he has shown he can line up anywhere in the trenches, and his trust in Marshall offensive line coach Eddie McClain means he is ready to adapt at the next level.

“I have been playing tackle most of my football career and would say I am more comfortable there than anywhere else,” Sandfoss said. “I feel like I work well in space and have good enough technique to defend against speed rushers and powerful run stoppers. But when I get to Marshall, I have complete trust in Coach McClain to put me in the best position possible.”

Sandfoss committed to the Thundering Herd after falling in love with both the football program and the university’s business opportunities.

“Coach McClain takes pride in having a tight knit group and emphasized how the five linemen move as one,” Sandfoss said. “Off the field, I plan to do something along the lines of business, and Marshall’s President Brad Smith is a businessman himself who built a brand new business center for the school. Ultimately, Marshall has everything I was looking for to succeed on the field and in the classroom.”

For now his focus is on helping Newport Central Catholic make a deep postseason run. The Thoroughbreds have fallen in the state quarterfinals in back-to-back years, each time to Campbellsville in tight games.

“Anything and everything we do is to get over that hump and to level up,” Sandfoss said. “Personally, I just want to get back on the field and play the game I love with the brothers that I love.”

That means mentoring younger players, making corrections in the moment, and being a voice they can trust.

“Sometimes kids respond better when another teammate is holding them accountable and explaining what needs to be fixed instead of a coach who is fired up,” Sandfoss said. “Especially as a senior, it is my duty to help one another be the best man on and off the field. I truly understand how our offense works and operate as another set of eyes for our guys up front.”

The Thoroughbreds’ offensive line, he says, thrives on accountability.

“We really embraced the idea that us five work as one and that spills out into everything we do,” Sandfoss said. “Even if it is in the weight room, on the field, or out in public, this group truly understands what the main objective is which is to win.”

Sandfoss might not be in uniform every snap this fall as he works back from injury, but his impact on Newport Central Catholic’s season is already being felt. That is exactly what you would expect from “another coach on the field.”