Introduction by Lee Brecheen
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Dominick Bilich (photo property of Louisiana Football Magazine) |
May 11, 2011 - Louisiana, year in and year out, never has a large group of Offensive Lineman that have great feet, great hands and technique coming out of the state for the Div 1 level. This year though, there are a handful of quality players that fit that role in the 2012 class. Dominick Bilich is one of those players from Archbishop Rummel High School.
In my opinion, Dominick Bilich has some of the best feet and technique for a guy over 275 pounds in the state of Louisiana. This kid can get low in blocks and use his hands, and feet to block anyone in the state for a run play or a passing down. He does both equally well, and gets downfield on run blocks so easy. What’s most impressive is that he’s only 6-2 in height, but a true 6-2 and weighs 285 pounds, and plays offensive tackle for his high school team protecting the Quarterbacks blind side every play. Dominick will make a great Center or Offensive guard at the next level for anyone. This is a school known for producing tough kids like Craig Steltz (Safety from LSU and Chicago Bears), P J Lonergan (center currently at LSU), Kevin Steltz (fullback LSU), and Offensive Lineman Troy Kropod (Tulane and Tennessee Titans) to name just a few tough mean smart kids. Dominick to me is in that category for the potential to be a great college offensive lineman and maybe a NFL player one day.
Dominick Bilich’s feet remind me of a Todd McClure, current Center of the Atlanta Falcons and former LSU Tiger. This is what is so scary in a good way for Bilich. Todd McClure only weighed 245 pounds coming out of Central High School in the early 1990’s. Todd was a Tight End for Central and bulked up and moved to Center at LSU and now is currently 300 pounds for the Atlanta Falcons. This kid benches 300 pounds, squats 435, and cleans 275. Bilich has a 25.3 vertical and can run the forty in 5.2 seconds, which I think he can be in the 5.0 range when it’s all said and done in college. I compare his technique to another former LSU Tiger in All American Joe Albergamo, who played at Archbishop Shaw High School.
Dominick Bilich also has a recent ACT score of a 22, and a GPA way over a 3.0. I look for this kid to score up to a 25 ACT when it’s said and done.
This kid has everything you look for in a Center for the next level and beyond, so we will see what lucky school signs him in the end. I said in the beginning of the story that he can play guard, but like Todd McClure and so many other offensive lineman that play other roles and positions for team, it would be a natural switch for this kid at a high level for DI football to go right to center.
I will talk about 3 other kids for offensive line that have great feet in the coming weeks for the Offensive Guard, Center, and Offensive Tackle Positions. I hope you enjoy our Q&A article below with writer Taylor Williams.
Interview by Taylor Williams
LAFM: When did you start playing football, and what have you always enjoyed most about it?
DB: I started playing my eighth grade year, and I’ve really just always liked the physical aspect of it, the feeling of dominating someone for the whole game.
LAFM: Are you originally from the New Orleans area?
DB: Yes, I’m from Kenner and I’ve lived there my whole life.
LAFM: Is that going to have a big impact on your decision to play close to home?
DB: Yeah, I’d prefer to stay in-state, and I’ve actually got family in Baton Rouge so I’ve been there a lot and seen LSU, and that’s always my top choice right now, kind of like a tradition.
LAFM: Has football always been a big part of your family?
DB: Yeah, my dad played in high school; my brothers a little smaller and he wrestles, but Saints, LSU, it’s all always been big in my family.
LAFM: But you’ll be the first to play in college?
DB: Yes, sir.
LAFM: Speaking of, what are some schools that you’ve gotten serious looks from at this point?
DB: LSU, Nebraska, Tennessee, Texas A&M, and there are a couple Ivy League I’ve bee to, including Harvard, Princeton, and Dartmouth.
LAFM: What camps or events have you gone to or are planning to attend?
DB: That’s about it as of now; I’m going to the LSU spring game next week and then the Nike camp in Alabama. I’ve also been invited back to Houston to do a skills competition and am going to the Under Armour camp at the Saints facility in a couple weeks.
LAFM: As an offensive lineman, do you rotate throughout the line or stick to one position, and how will that carry over into college?
DB: I stay at offensive tackle most of the time, and I sometimes block for the tight end. I’ll probably move to center in college because of my height and because I’ve heard that P.J. Lonergan from Rummel is starting at center.
LAFM: Do you play any other sports?
DB: I tried to play baseball; I could hit but couldn’t run that well. I thought about doing track, but I’d rather focus on one sport and not risk injury.
LAFM: What’s the biggest asset in your game, and what are you working to improve most?
DB: My biggest strength is the mental aspect of my game cause I know the whole offense forwards and backwards and I have a 3.7 GPA right now, so that really helps. My first couple years I second-guessed myself because of my mental aspect; now I’m just trying to play instinctively and run up and blow somebody out.
LAFM: Two years ago Rummel was state runner-up; this year the team struggled more. Has that changed your main goals for next year?
DB: We plan to go to State; once you’re there that’s always your goal. We’ve been training hard; we’ve got a personal trainer out there and train three, four days a week, several hours a day. When we went against St. Augustine and those in the Catholic League we just got destroyed physically cause we weren’t ready for them. We were in close games against some of the top teams in the state like East St. John, then halftime would run out and we’d fall out of in the third and fourth quarters, just like that.
LAFM: What’s it been like playing for your head coach?
DB: It’s great; he’s like a father figure to me who’s been there whenever I needed anything. He’s a great offensive mind and has been a top coach for fifteen years in the state and last year was really our only our bad year.
LAFM: Do you have any friends on the team you might be recruited or play college ball with?
DB: Our quarterback who’s gonna be a junior, Damian Williams, he’s really good and I think he’ll go somewhere. He’s going to the skills camp with me in Houston. We’ve also got some really good tight ends and running backs coming up.
LAFM: What might you focus on academically in college?
DB: I was thinking dentistry if I go to LSU, my cousin also has a dentistry practice in New Orleans. Its either that or a pre-med major of some sort.
LAFM: Can you pick out some games or rivalries that stand out for exceptional personal or team performance?
DB: Against Shaw, that’s a mega-fun game and I think we really stepped it up that game. We had a guy, a tight end, who’d never scored before in his entire life and broke his leg that got the final touchdown and that was a big moment for our team. And then, you know, going to State; I was a sophomore and starting; that was huge.
LAFM: And finally, what are your current height, weight, and forty time?
DB: 6-3, 290, and 5.4.
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