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Sports

Center of Attention: Solon's Austin Stock Anchors Comets O-Line

Solon's Austin Stock worked out with Pro Bowler and former Brown LeCharles Bentley to prepare for his senior season

Editor's Note: Every Wednesday during football season, stop by Solon Patch to read our newest entry in "Comet Corner: Football Edition." The weekly column by Barry Goodrich will focus on the players and their accomplishments as the Comets season rolls on.

Have ideas for the column? E-mail Editor Chris Mazzolini at chrism@patch.com.

At 6-3 and 270 pounds, it's easy to notice Solon senior center Austin Stock.

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In fact, Stock is getting noticed by such teams as Michigan, Michgan State, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State, Stanford, North Carolina State, Harvard, Air Force, Cincinnati and Purdue.

"My top three right now are Michigan State, Penn State and North Carolina State," said Stock. "After that it would be teams in the Ivy League or Patriot League."

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Ranked as the 15th top center recruit in the nation by ESPN and at No. 21 by Scout.com, Stock has a lot on the line this season. He has quickly adapted to playing the center spot in just his second season as varsity snapper.

"I like having the responsibility of playing center," he said. "I call out the (defensive) fronts, we have code words and fake code words. And most of our offensive line has been together for the past five years. We consider the offensive line to be a single unit."

Stock and his teammates on the line have instituted a new tradition this season – a weekly dinner at BW3.

"The lineman who scores the best each week has to eat the six hottest wings on the menu," he said. This week's winner who was put on the hot seat was another highly touted Comet player – Nate Hoff.

Stock has put in hours of hard work over the winter and summer. In May, he attended former NFL standout LeCharles Bentley's O-Line Academy in Avon, where he worked with the former Ohio State, New Orleans Saints and Browns player on the finer points of interior line play. Stock also participated in one-on-one sessions with Bentley.

"It was great working with him because he understands the techniques are not as cut and dried as a lot of fans think," said Stock. "He really helped me with my explosiveness and footwork."

Stock has also worked out with Jason Davidson, a competitor in the 2009 World's Strongest Man contest.

"I not only want to become a stronger player, I want to be a leader," he said. "First and foremost, I want to help the team become state champions and I want to play better this season than last year. One thing I didn't do last year was finish the block."

"Stock has the size with enough athleticism for the center position at the major level of competition," said ESPN's scouting report. "This prospect is a smart, efficient player at the position."

You'll get no argument from Solon head coach Jim McQuaide.

"He's a hard worker and a smart guy," said McQuaide. "It's a work in progress for every lineman. These guys need to work on their technique all the time."

Stock says he will decide where he will play in college prior to Jan. 16. "That's my grandmother's birthday and I promised her I would announce before then," he said.

For now it is more time in the trenches, where Solon has a Stock that continues to pay dividends on a weekly basis.

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