Boaring in with Anthony Schlegel

Sophomore Linebacker Has Strange Hobby

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May 21, 2002

By Bob Wallace

If you were a football coach and one of your players admitted to you that one of his favorite hobbies was hunting 300-pound wild boar, armed only with a knife, what would you say?

"I think I just found our starting linebacker," would be the logical answer.

"It's fun," said Air Force sophomore inside linebacker Anthony Schlegel of his love of wild boar hunting. "It's just the thrill of running after something."

Throughout Air Force spring practice, Schlegel and fellow linebacker junior Trevor Hightower consistently hog-tied the Falcons' offense.

Schlegel, who began hunting wild boar as a teenager in Highland Park, Texas, played in 10 games and started the final six games for Air Force last season, totaling 48 tackles, 26 of them unassisted, four for loss.

Schlegel said dogs corner the animal before he chases the beast down -- oddly similar to the way Schlegel and Hightower ran down rushers during the spring practices.

Hightower, who wasn't even listed on the depth chart a week ago, has been invited to join Schlegel for a pig hunt this summer.

The Falcon's furious pursuit on defense seems to emanate outwardly from Schlegel, at 6-foot-2 inches, 245 pounds and Hightower, at 5-foot-11, 225 pounds, usually culminating in a crushing tackle.

Air Force coach Fisher DeBerry likes what he's seen so far from a young defense that felt some acute growing pains last season, surrendering more than 40 points in four games, including 63 at BYU. DeBerry believes that Schlegel and Hightower might be the duo that forms the core leadership of a defensive unit that returns seven starters from last year's squad.

"Hightower and Schlegel have set pretty high standards for themselves," DeBerry said. "They don't have a lot to say they aren't rah-rah guys but they work hard and have intensity and I hope that kind of leadership rubs off on our program."

As for boar-hunting expeditions, DeBerry smiles and shakes his head. "I thought that was what fire arms were invented for," DeBerry said.

 

 

 

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