EDWARDSVILLE – For Edwardsville offensive guard and defensive nose tackle Connor Hinterser, football is a very physical game, and it’s the linemen who usually get things rolling. And it all starts with the preseason practices.
“Practice has been going good,” Hinterser said in an interview prior to the Tiger varsity’s annual Orange and Black scrimmage held Friday evening at Tiger Stadium. “A lot of repetition, making sure you get a lot of good work in there. It’s been a bit hot out, but obviously, you’ve got to deal with the elements early on so that you’re ready for the season.”
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Hinterser feels that overall, the preseason workouts have gone well for the Tigers as they get ready for their opener next Friday at home against McCluer North.
“I think we picked up where we were last year, and just kept trucking forward,” Hinterser said. “We’ve obviously got a lot to improve with, and I think over the summer, we addressed a lot of the issues we had.”
As a lineman, Hinterser keeps things simple and team-oriented.
“I mean, you just got to get a body on a body,” Hinterser said. “You’ve got to hit somebody every single play, and make sure your playmakers can go out there and do something positive for the team. As long as you’re doing your job, everyone else will do theirs.”
Hinterser is also a defenseman for the Tigers’ hockey team that plays in the Mid-States Club Hockey Association. He sees a lot of similarities in the physical aspects of both football and hockey.
“I mean, when you get in the backfield and you look at a quarterback in the eyes, it’s sort of like looking at a small guy on the ice with the puck,” Hinterser said. “It’s a deer in the headlights, and it’s a great feeling to have. So we’re just trying to get more of those, some more sacks this season, and hopefully contribute more than I did last year.”
It’s getting those sacks and helping the team win that are part of Hinterser’s goals for the Tigers as the 2018 season gets underway.
“Personally, trying to get some more sacks, because last year was a bit disappointing for me personally,” Hinterser said. “Contribute more, be disruptive, be powerful in the middle, make sure my linebackers can get freed up and make some plays, make sure my (defensive) ends can make some plays, and overall, make sure the defense is running with all gears churning.”
And you can be sure that Connor Hinterser will be working hard to achieve both his and the team’s goals this season.
