As last spring’s peculiar and short-lived football season becomes more of a distant memory, Vandals look forward to a more normal season, starting off with two players recognized as preseason All-Big Sky selections. The first is fourth-year fullback/tight end, Logan Kendall.
Kendall appeared in all six games of last spring and all 12 games of 2019, catching two touchdowns and six total passes for 91 yards last year.
“Great player, great guy,” Vandal linebacker Tre Walker said during a Big Sky media day interview. “He’s one of those players who helps me on and off the field.”
Walker was the second player recognized as a preseason pick, named the Big Sky Conference Preseason Defensive MVP, who led in Big Sky defense during last spring’s short season with 13.5 tackles per game and 233 tackles in the last three seasons.
After last spring, both Kendall and Walker had been recognized for another title, named unanimously as All-Big Sky first team selections.
Walker said his teammate Kendall was a “hard-nosed player,” recalling their time practicing together.
“He definitely came and hit me a few times and made me have to wake my game up,” Walker said during the media day.
Kendall returned Walker’s thoughts and said his memories of working and practicing around him always wound up being hard hits.
“Every time we hit each other is going to be a big collision,” Kendall said. “So, you got to be ready for it.”
These hard hits, Kendall went on to explain, built each other up.
“(Tre’s) my guy,” Kendall said. “He’s an amazing player. I think he’s the best linebacker in the country. Going against him every day in practice just makes me so much better. I am thankful to have him on the team. Iron sharpens iron.”
Going into his fourth undergrad year and reflecting on his years in athletics, Kendall suggested that younger players “just keep working.”
“It sounds cliché, but it’s true,” Kendall said. “The more work you put in, the more stuff you’re going to get out of it. Consistency is key. Just day in day out, putting in your time.”
Due to NCAA exemptions for COVID-19, Kendall and Walker will be able to play an additional year after this season, as last season will not count against their four years of eligibility. Happy to retain his extra year of playing, Kendall said his plans after graduation are centered around just playing football for as long as he can.
The first game of this season will be against Simon Fraser on Sept. 4.
“This season is going to be a special one,” Kendall said, excited to move away from last year.
However, Kendall said out of that difficult season, where the team never knew what would happen from week to week, the positive outcome was how it made the team closer.
Cody Roberts can be reached [email protected] or on Twitter @CodyRobReports