Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Quick study
Stettmeier emerges as star player despite little experience
FARMINGTON — Mike Adams was certainly agreeable when Josh Stettmeier approached him last season and asked to play organized football for the first time.
Stettmeier is a homeschooled athlete, big and strong, who admittedly didn’t know much about the intricacies of the game of football when he started out. But Jaden Schader, a Farmington running back and linebacker, witnessed firsthand the potential of his new teammate when the two were matched up during a drill on the proper technique for tackling.
“I was thinking this kid is pretty big, and I knew it was his first year of football,” Schader said. “I went off the first two steps, pushed on him, and he pushed back and drove me into the dirt. That’s when I realized this guy is going to be blocking for me and I’m going to be glad about it.”
Stettmeier still has much to learn even as a senior, but his talent was obvious last week when Farmington opened the season with a 27-7 victory over Prairie Grove at Cardinal Stadium. Stettmeier helped shut down Prairie Grove from his outside linebacker position, and he scored his first touchdown on a 25-yard burst at fullback
in the fourth quarter to complete the victory.
“It was an amazing feeling to be able to score against Prairie Grove,” Stettmeier said. “It was great to be able to start and be a part of that.”
Stettmeier (6-foot-2, 220 pounds) was not clueless about the game of football when he approached Adams, the Farmington coach, before the start of his junior year. Stettmeier grew up watching football with his father, Ken, a power weight lifter who played semi-pro football in Maryland. Josh’s sister, Bailey, won a world championship in Las Vegas in bodybuilding for her age and weight group. Josh also enjoys the weight room, where he benches 300 pounds, squats 500 pounds and power cleans about 250 pounds.
“Josh is a tremendous weightlifter,” Adams said. “He came to us at 6-1, about 185 pounds, and now he’s 6-2, 220. Josh is so strong. He’s not a guy you can arm tackle. The Prairie Grove game was literally the 10th game he’s ever played in and the only one he’s played extensively in. We like him a lot, and he’s only going to get better.”
Before last year, the only team sport Stettmeier played was ultimate frisbee. Now, his potential as a football player is such that Adams is sure he can play at the college level. Stettmeier took steps toward that goal over summer by participating in a handful of college football camps.
“Lindenwood (University) in Missouri hosted a mega football camp with a lot of different teams there,” Stettmeier said. “Southern Illinois talked to me, so did Kent State. I attended the Arkansas camp at the UofA, UCA and Tulsa University. So, my goal is to have a scholarship offer to play college football, definitely.”
As a home-schooled athlete, a typical day for Stettmeier begins with a class and a textbook from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. at home with his mother, Debbie, a teacher. He takes college courses at the Farmington branch of Northwest Arkansas Community College then returns home for lunch and study time before
heading to football practice with the Cardinals.
Stettmeier is now viewed as a team leader and a valuable two-way player for the Cardinals, who are hopeful of improving on last year’s 4-6 record.
“What Josh Stettmeier brings to our table is his athleticism and making plays,” Farmington quarterback MarQwaveon Watson said. “He’s put in plenty of work since he got here, and he’s showing he wants to be here with us. He’s showing us he can play, and we’re going to keep giving him the ball until somebody stops us.”
Stettmeier adds power to a Farmington offense that showed a good run-pass mix in the win over Prairie Grove. But he projects for college as an outside linebacker.
“Stettmeier is still learning a bunch but, as far as picking things up and his work ethic, he’s second to none” said defensive coordinator Jay Harper said. “He’s really physical, he can run, and we’re excited to have him. The kids have kind of rallied around
him and he’s become a team leader.”
Farmington will try to move to 2- 0 on today at Gravette, which had the week off after losing 38-6 to Tulsa (Okla.) Cascia Hall two weeks ago. Farmington will then face Pea Ridge before beginning 5A-West Conference play at Clarksville on Sept. 27.
“I think we’ll be in playoff contention this year,” Stettmeier said. “I definitely like the way we performed against Prairie Grove. We looked so much better than we did last year. I think we can make things happen with the individuals we have.”
“Josh is so strong. He’s not a guy you can arm tackle. The Prairie Grove game was literally the 10th game he’s ever played in and the only one he’s played extensively in. We like him a lot, and he’s only going to get better.”
— Mike Adams, Farmington head football coach