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| Justin Blazek played on offense in high school, not to mention on his high school's basketball and baseball teams. UW-Platteville athletics photo |
By Brian Lester
D3sports.com
Justin Blazek missed half of the 2021 season with a torn labrum in his left shoulder. He only played in five games that year for UW-Platteville.
He was a team captain that year in his first real season of making an impact on defense. The pandemic took away the 2020 campaign and he played in only six games as a freshman.
It was tough not playing. And the road back from the injury wasn’t easy for the Pioneers’ talented defensive lineman.
Defense Week features
- Justin Blazek, UW-Platteville
- Robert Coury, Carnegie Mellon
- Owen Grover, Wartburg
- Caleb Harmel, Trinity (Texas)
- Rossy Moore, Mount Union
- Luke Schuermann, Johns Hopkins
- More features
“It was very difficult not being out there playing with my guys,” Blazek said. “It was tough watching from the sideline. I got the (labrum) repaired in December and worked my butt off to try to get back in prime shape and compete again.”
Oh, the work paid off in a big way, and the injury truly was a minor setback for a major comeback as Blazek dominated 2022, earning WIAC Defensive Player of the Year honors and first-team All-American recognition. Blazek recorded 58 tackles and nine sacks, both career bests, while playing and starting in all 10 games.
“There were a lot of question marks coming out of that thing and wondering what it was going to look like for him,” Platteville head coach Ryan Munz said. “The production was more than what I expected. He’s been able to build on that success this year.”
Blazek is glad to be back, though the personal success he enjoyed in 2022 didn’t compare to what the team did.
“It was really cool having (personal) success, but one of the more exciting parts was that we had three wins against top 15 teams. It was super fun to celebrate, especially with that group," Blazek said.
Platteville is 4-3 this season, including a 2-2 mark in the WIAC, and Blazek has once again been instrumental in the success on defense. Though because of what he did last year, things have changed a bit for him.
“I’m playing well personally, but drawing a lot of double teams. It’s opening the door for Tyler Bacon on the other side. He’s a great player,” Blazek said.
While teams have tended to double up Blazek more, there are times when they opt to go one-on-one, like in one key moment Saturday against UW-Eau Claire. It didn’t work out too well in a game the Pioneers won 47-14.
“They tried to block him one on one and it ended up being a sack, fumble and touchdown,” Munz said. “He’s not getting the stats all the time, but he’s drawing the attention he deserves. “I think that’s been his biggest growth. He’s understanding the game more, getting outside the individual accolades and understanding the big picture of the team approach and what that looks like.”
Blazek has 34 tackles this season to go along with four sacks, and with a few games still to go for the Pioneers (4-3), he’s poised to add to that total.
“He’s been a leader and a figurehead for us, and one of the reasons we’ve had success,” Munz said. “I became the head coach a year and a half ago, and he’s one of the first guys we leaned on. We let him take the reins from a leadership standpoint.”
The interesting thing about Blazek is he didn’t arrive on campus as a defensive player. He was on the offensive side of the ball as a tight end, which is what he played in high school, only seeing the field on defense on occasion.
When he made the switch to defense, he was ready.
“It was pretty cool because I knew the guys on defense from playing against them in practice and they helped me understand what to do," Blazek said. "I think playing offense already helped me understand both sides of the ball to be a better player on defense.”
The move certainly has paid off for Blazek.
“We weren't really utilizing a tight end, and coach (Pat) Sheehan) said let’s see what he can do on third down stuff. We put him in a bit of a rush package and he was able to do some things with the small sample size for us to be confident in our decision to move him to defense,” Munz said.
The fact that Blazek has thrived isn’t a surprise to Munz.
“Athletes are athletes,” Munz said. “Maybe this is a hot take, but I bet there are a lot of guys on every team that could go over to the other side of the ball and excel at a different position. “To see his skillset and how fast it was accelerated, that is the stat stuff you draw on, but the athleticism has been there forever. We saw it in high school when he was dunking during a basketball game. The success he has had is not a surprise to us.”
Speaking of athleticism, Blazek was a three-sport standout in high school.
In fact, his favorite sport wasn’t football when he was growing up.
“Basketball was actually my favorite as a kid,” Blazek said. “As I got older, I didn’t get that 6-7, 6-8 growth spurt, but figured if I started to hit the weight room more, I could have real success in football.”
He said playing multiple sports helped benefit him as a football player.
“Swinging a bat, with the turning and twisting, you really use your obliques, and that’s helped with what I’m trying to do on the line, hand fighting to get guys off me. With basketball, the jumping and sliding, that’s really helped my agility in football,” Blazek said.
Blazek and his defensive teammates are allowing 304.4 yards per game and have been particularly tough against the run, giving up only 51 yards per outing on the ground.
“We always play fast, physical and together,” Blazek said. “I’ve been around these guys three or four years now and it’s exciting to watch us grow together. We are a tight group and that makes it easier to play together.”
Munz agrees there is a great connection among the players on defense.
“They love being around each other,” Munz said. “Their maturity is through the roof. Their execution is through the roof. Sometimes that’s hard to find, but these guys have it.”
Football could be in Blazek’s future beyond college. He is, after all, on the Senior Bowl watch list.
“It’s cool to see, but I’m trying to be where my feet are,” Blazek said. “I’m not thinking too much about it. With the work I put in, if you build it, they will come. That’s been my mindset.”
What Blazek knows for sure is that he’s thankful he’s been able to play his college football career with the Pioneers.
“Since day one, it’s been a family friendly environment. You can go to anyone about anything on or off the field. That’s why I came here and why I stayed," Blazek said. “I love being able to celebrate the small and big victories here. There’s nothing like it. This is a special place.”
