The Many Mentors of Daylan McCutcheon

Every wide receiver in a Todd Dodge-led program for the last 25 years knows that when they catch a football, they must yell ‘Yes!’ or ‘No!’ Yes means they see the laces when they tuck the football away. No means they don’t. Whether or not the laces face up doesn’t matter; only the fact the receiver is looking the football into his chest. Ball security is job security.

It’s a small detail – easy to forget, especially for a wide receiver of Daylan McCutcheon’s caliber who’s compiled 33 scholarship offers and won District All-Purpose MVP without yelling about the laces. On Dodge’s first day at Lovejoy in February, he took a break from unpacking moving boxes to shake hands with USC’s Lincoln Riley, Ohio State’s Ryan Day and Mike Norvell from Florida State, all visiting the high school for McCutcheon.