Noah Hotz carries the ball for a touchdown against Southview in Week 2. RSR/Tony Zimmerman
FREMONT – You could call Noah Hotz Fremont Ross’ Swiss Army Knife.
But, then again, Swiss Army Knives don’t come equipped with big plays.
Through three games, if the Little Giants (2-1) have made a big play, chances are pretty high Hotz was at the center of it. Whether on offense as a receiver or runner, playing safety on the defense or on special teams as punter and kick returner, there is no phase of the game on which Hotz has yet to leave his mark.
“He’s Mr. Everything for us right now,” head coach Chad Long said. “He’s Mr. Clutch. I’m going to knock on wood on that, but I think he’s going to do that all year. He’s that kind of caliber of a kid.”
In Ross’ Week 1 victory, Hotz grabbed the fourth-quarter end zone interception that effectively iced the game for the Little Giants. The following week against Southview, he scored on a 72-yard fourth-quarter touchdown run, putting the game away.
While victory slipped away from Ross last week against Sandusky, 16-15, had the Little Giants won, no one had more claim to a game ball than Hotz, who turned in one of the most well-rounded performances Ross has seen in the last handful of years.
He returned a Sandusky kick down inside the Blue Streak 10-yard line. He caught a 52-yard pass to set up a field goal. His interception with eight minutes remaining looked as though it might put the game away. When the ensuing Ross drive went three-and-out, Hotz punted the ball away which then rolled along the Blue Streaks’ goalline where Ross downed it inside the 1. Three plays later, he made the tackle to prevent a Sandusky first down and force the pivotal punt that ended up changing the momentum of the game for good.
Noah Hotz
As the Little Giants get set to for their TRAC season-opener at Findlay Friday night, the question isn’t whether Hotz can continue to his strong play, but rather what will his next big play be?
“On defense, he always finds the ball,” senior Devyn Jagodzinski said. “He just finds the ball and makes a play. Somedays, I just don’t know how he does it, he just seems to pop up right there.”
For his part, Hotz said he doesn’t do anything special, nor does he deserve the credit for the plays he makes.
“I don’t necessarily think it’s just me, I think we all make big plays,” Hotz said.
A season ago, Hotz averaged 36.6 yards a punt and earned first-team all-TRAC honors and he’s picked up where he left off. In three games, he’s punted 17 times for an average of 35.6 yards with six punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.
Defensively, he’s totaled 12 tackles (six solo, 12 assists) and a pair of interceptions. He’s also caught seven passes on offense.
“Everything is positive on Noah,” Long said. “He carries himself as a great student-athlete. He represents Fremont football great. He’s a coach’s dream. He never talks, never says a whole lot, he just does what he’s supposed to do. He’s smart and savvy.”