Kameron Butler, No. 82, makes one of the 61 tackles he had last season for the CovCath football team during a Class 5A playoff game against Fern Creek. (Photo by Steve Dyer)
The NKyTribune is featuring each of the 21 high school football teams in Boone, Campbell and Kenton counties leading up to the first games of the 2017 season on Aug. 18. We will then provide focused coverage of our local teams throughout the regular season and into the playoffs.
By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
For the third consecutive year, Kameron Butler is adjusting to a new position during preseason practice with the Covington Catholic football team. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound senior will be playing middle linebacker for the Colonels after successful seasons at defensive end and outside linebacker.
“He’s athletic enough and understands the game so well that we could probably move him anywhere,” said CovCath coach Eddie Eviston. “The thing was that last year when we put him at outside linebacker teams recognized that and they would go away from him. I probably would to if I had to play against him.”
Butler will be playing middle linebacker and tight end for CovCath in his third year as a varsity starter. (Photo by Terry Boehmker)
At middle linebacker, Butler will be harder for opponents to avoid. He’ll be the central figure in the Colonels’ defensive unit, using his football acumen to read plays and his athletic ability to make stops all across the field.
Those traits are among the reasons Butler was heavily recruited by several major college football teams before making a commitment with Miami University of Ohio.
With his future plans decided, he can focus on his senior season at CovCath. The all-male school is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its football program this year and playing games in a newly remodeled stadium that now has permanent lights.
“We’ve been watching the lights go up and the stadium being built all spring and summer,” Butler said. “So we’re really excited to see the final outcome of it and just want to get out there and win some games.”
In his sophomore season, Butler played defensive end and made 85 tackles for a CovCath team that got off to an 0-4 start and finished with a 5-8 record.
Last year, he moved to outside linebacker and ended up with 61 tackles and a team-high five interceptions. The Colonels won their first district title in 10 years and posted a 9-4 record with him in that position.
“There might not be anybody on our team who’s ingrained into studying the game as much as he does,” coach Eviston said. “You can tell he watches film and knows our opponents, and I think that has been a big reason for his success.”
CovCath’s leading tackler on defense the last two seasons was middle linebacker Alex Shelton, who graduated in May. Eviston said using Butler to fill the vacancy at that position was a “no brainer” for two reasons.
“One, people can’t run away from him and he’s got an opportunity to be in on every play,” the coach said. “Two, he can be the leader and put everybody in the right spots. He’ll be surrounded by some younger guys who don’t have much (varsity) experience so we feel better having him in the middle. He’s a coach on the field and he can control everything from there.”
Adjusting to the added responsibilities of being the team leader on defense is the biggest challenge Butler faces at “mike,” the term he uses for the middle linebacker position. He’ll be setting up the defensive alignments that the coaches send in from the sidelines.
“At mike, I’ve got to know what everybody’s doing on every single play and I’ve got to call plays (defensive adjustments at the line),” he said. “At defensive end or outside linebacker, I just worried about what I was doing. At mike, I’ve got to worry about everybody now.”
Butler will also play tight end on offense for the Colonels. He was primarily used as a blocker when he lined up in that position last season, but he did catch three touchdown passes. Since most of the other players on the offensive line will be first-year starters, his experience and leadership should help the newcomers up front come together as a unit.
“He’s a great kid to coach and a great kid overall,” coach Eviston said. “He brings a lot of energy to our team. He’s one of those guys we expect to make big plays and, more times than not, he does.”
COVINGTON CATHOLIC COLONELS
2016 SEASON: 9-4 record, lost in third round of Class 5A playoffs
DISTRICT: Class 5A, District 5 with Dixie Heights and Highlands
HEAD COACH: Eddie Eviston (49-20 in four seasons overall, 14-12 in two seasons at CovCath)
2017 SCHEDULE
Aug. 18 – RYLE, 7:30 p.m..
Aug. 25 – at Lexington Catholic, 8:45 p.m.
Sept. 1 – COOPER, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 8 – at Kings (Ohio), 7 p.m.
Sept. 15 – at Beechwood, 7 p.m.
Sept. 22 – ST. FRANCIS DeSALES (Ohio), 7 p.m.
Oct. 6 – BISHOP CHATARD (Ind.), 7 p.m.
Oct. 13 – HIGHLANDS, 7 p.m.
Oct. 20 – at Dixie Heights, 7 p.m.
Oct. 27 – at Campbell County, 7 p.m.
Other NKyTribune prep football previews:
DAYTON GREENDEVILS
