The 11W Futures series introduces new names to the Ohio State recruiting world.
At Cincinnati's Moeller High School, high-quality football is not an option.
The Crusaders have won nine state titles since 1975 and are once again one of the state's premier high school football teams. Moeller isn't your standard football program.
Zach Carpenter, Moeller's new left tackle, isn't your standard high school freshman, either.
"I'm 6-foot-3 and 270-pounds," Carpenter told Eleven Warriors. "I'm 14 years old."
14-years-old, the starting left tackle for Cincinnati Moeller. If you're an Ohio football fan, you appreciate how unique this situation is. It was not something Carpenter thought was going to happen, but he's making sure that the ride isn't just a novelty; he wants to get better and be remembered. He worked hard in preparation for his freshman year and now he aims to stay where he is: an important piece of the depth chart.
"Since the end of last football season," Carpenter said. "I've been lifting with my dad, and that's helped me a lot when I came in. I had to get myself in shape, so I've been doing a lot of running on my own. The speed of the game is a lot faster than eighth grade football so I had to get used to it, and I know I have to really work for it."
Carpenter says his dad is 6-foot-3 and close to 290-pounds and that he expects to keep growing past the already impressive frame he's carrying. He's also got good football bloodlines to keep him motivated to succeed.
"I'm supposed to get to 6-foot-5," he said. "My grandpa coaches in the CFL and is currently coaching at Widener University in Philadelphia, so he gives me pretty good insight on what college and pro coaches are looking for.
A Cincinnati native, the Moeller freshman says he's tried to model his game after an NFL Hall of Famer who called the Queen City home.
"My family are big Bengals' fans," Carpenter shared. "So Anthony Muñoz is probably who I try to model my game after the most. Since I was young they've told me he was the real deal and that if I wanted to look at perfect form I should watch him."
The Buckeyes have begun to make their presence felt a bit at Moeller in the last few recruiting cycles. Sam Hubbard starred for the Crusaders two years ago and tight end Jake Hausmann, a 2016 Ohio State commit, has already taken the youngster under his wing.
"Jake was one of the first guys that really helped me out and helped me become accepted by the team," Carpenter said of Hausmann. "He pushes us all in practice to do our best day in and day out."
Hausmann says that Carpenter has earned the right for playing time.
"I think he should be in the rotation," Hausmann said. "He's already a big kid at 14-years-old, and he's got a bit of a mean streak. He learns fast and picks up techniques."
Although he's from Southwest Ohio, Carpenter says that his "dream school" is located in the center of the state. Regardless, he's not trying to hurry along too fast in his recruitment because, in all honesty, it hasn't really even begun and he knows it.
"Ohio State is my dream school," Carpenter said of the Buckeyes. "I've always wanted to go there. (As for recruiting) there's really anything official yet, and my family's best advice to me is to keep my options open."
