Take your pick which was more surprising for Nixa last week, Kael Combs not catching a single pass or Combs recording his first career tackle.
Combs made his first appearance as a safety for the Eagles during the second half of their Class 6 District 3 semifinal win versus Ray-Pec. The Class 6 All-State Second-Team wide receiver from a year ago was inserted as part of Nixa’s prevent defense as Ray-Pec desperately tried to rally.
He, too, was surprised to find himself on defense.
“I didn’t know I was going out there,” Combs said. “We had practiced it a couple days before. (The coaches) said when the time came, I was going to come in. I was standing by the defensive coaches and they called the formation I was in.”
If the defensive formation Combs is part of is called again tonight, it will very likely be a good sign for Nixa in its Class 6 District 3 final versus Lee's Summit North.
“We put in a package for third-and-long where we put him back there to hopefully prevent (the opponent) from throwing the long ball,” coach John Perry said. “He’s not a safety. He’s not coach’d up to do that. But in a certain package when (the opponent) wants to throw it up, you want to put your best athletes back there and he’s definitely one of them.”
Wyatt Vincent, another wide receiver, also saw time on defense. He was inserted at cornerback.
Combs happily reports he felt composed being on the opposite side of the ball that he’s accustomed to.
“I wasn’t nervous,” he said. “I trusted the coaches had me in there for a good reason. I knew if they trusted me, I was capable to do what I needed to do. I didn’t feel too much like I was out on an island. I was just trying to help the corners in front of me and not let anything get behind of me.”
It makes sense Combs didn’t feel out of his element defensively, considering he’s a stout perimeter and interior defender on Nixa’s basketball team. He buys into the concept some of the same defensive principles in basketball play out in football.
“Being in a 2-3 (zone in basketball) and not letting anybody get a lob back-side on you, it kind of translates over (to the gridiron),” Combs said.
However, Combs didn’t have any experience to draw upon in regard to tackling.
“He actually got himself a tackle and when he came off the field, I thought, ‘Man, we’re going to have to work on those tackling skills,’” Perry said. “He went (through) tackling drills Monday to make sure we were solid.”
Ray-Pec and the rain that fell in the first half kept Combs from catching at least one pass for the first time all season. Webb City held him in Week One to one catch for minus-two yards.
“I’m definitely due for one,” Combs said of not having a catch last week. “But I don’t really look at stuff like (individual) accolades. If we win, that’s all I care about. I don’t care about getting a catch. If I make a good block for Ramone (Green) to score a touchdown, that’s what I really care about, getting done what needs to be done for a win.”
This season, Combs set a single-game school record with four touchdown catches at Carl Junction and has had two games with 100 yards receiving or more on his way to 35 receptions for 595 yards and nine touchdowns.
He had 44 receptions for 842 yards last year.
Combs was a novelty as a junior a year ago, after not playing football since he was in the seventh grade. It's become apparent word has certainly got out about him over the past year from COC country to Kansas City.
"I definitely see a big difference this year from last year,” Combs said of the attention he receives from defenses. “Teams didn’t really know me last year because I was a newcomer. It’s a lot more help over top (this year), sometimes the outside linebacker is in front of me, the corner is behind and a safety over top. It’s been harder to get me the ball.”
Perry points out quarterback Connor Knatcal hasn’t had to force the ball to Combs because Nixa’s receiving corps is more balanced than last season.
A year ago, Combs nearly had double the catches of any other receiver. This year, Rylan Michel tops the Eagles with 38 catches for 600 yards and Michel and Combs are among five receivers with 13 catches or more. Also, Green has 18 catches out of the backfield.
“Kael draws a lot more attention and we have more guys where the ball is evenly distributed among them,” Perry said. “If they double him or cheat a linebacker over on him, we don’t even think twice about going the other way."
Perry adds even if the numbers don’t show it, Combs has made great strides and become a much more polished product.
“He has become a better football player,” Perry said. “Last year, he was very cautious. This year, with the ball in his hands, he’s more aggressive running after he catches it on screens and stuff like that. Also, his blocking is tremendously better. He’s become a physical blocker, which is awesome for us.”
