The August solar shines down from a transparent blue sky as Vernon Hills quarterback Nolan Lazor performs catch together with his teammates on the second day of preseason apply.
The lanky lefthander throws with the benefit and confidence of a younger man primed for what he believes will probably be a memorable senior season. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound Lazor tasks the air of somebody for whom the soccer subject is a second residence.
“It may be my first home,” he mentioned. “There’s no place I’d rather be.”
Lazor has been many locations in his life, however soccer has been a relentless. He is the son of longtime NFL coach Bill Lazor, who was the offensive coordinator of the Chicago Bears in 2020 and 2021.
The lifetime of an NFL coach is inherently itinerant, so it’s no shock that Vernon Hills is the eighth place the place Nolan Lazor has lived. He was born in Leesburg, Virginia, simply outdoors Washington, D.C., when his father labored for Washington.
“There’s a picture of me when I was just learning to walk, running around the Redskins’ practice fields with a football,” Lazor mentioned. “Football has been so tied in with my life.”
Given his household background, folks assume Lazor was destined to be a star quarterback.
His father was a three-year beginning quarterback at Cornell, the place he set 26 program information, and has labored primarily as a quarterbacks coach or offensive coordinator throughout a 20-year NFL profession that additionally has included stints with the Atlanta Falcons, the Seattle Seahawks, the Philadelphia Eagles, the Miami Dolphins and the Cincinnati Bengals, in addition to stops at Cornell, the University of Buffalo and the University of Virginia.
But Nolan Lazor mentioned he by no means felt pressured to play soccer.
“It grew on me,” he mentioned. “I wasn’t forced into it. It’s been my decision to go down this path.”
Overcoming adversity
Lazor’s path has been removed from straightforward. Football is a tricky sport, and it’s not for everyone, however that’s what makes it interesting for him.
“I always say it’s fun to do difficult things,” he mentioned. “I don’t wish to go my complete life on the straightforward route, so I get to return out right here, compete at this stage, compete to get to the subsequent stage.
“It’s a hard thing to do. It’s very difficult. But I love developing that work ethic, and I love working for it. There’s not a minute that I’m out here or in the weight room that I dislike.”
Coaches and teammates have observed and feed off Lazor’s enthusiasm.
“He’s very hardworking,” Vernon Hills senior middle Tom Elster mentioned. “I think he makes everybody around him a better football player. He’s a very positive person.”
Vernon Hills coach Bill Bellecomo mentioned he loves Lazor’s perspective and method.
“He’s got all the tools,” Bellecomo mentioned. “You discuss concerning the intelligence. He’s good within the classroom, however he’s additionally bought a really excessive IQ on the soccer subject.
“It comes from growing up around the game, being around his dad his whole life. I’ve had the opportunity to coach many coaches’ sons. They just have a higher IQ for the game. It’s really a pleasure to coach that.”
Lazor has at all times had a detailed bond together with his father.
He has benefited from the perks of being an NFL coach’s son — he has picked the brains of quarterbacks like Matt Hasselbeck and Nick Foles and has thrown with Justin Fields and Andy Dalton — however mentioned he has gained probably the most information from his father.
“I wouldn’t be anywhere near where I am without him,” Lazor mentioned. “Over the previous couple years, he’s helped me a lot with my journey and simply soccer itself.
“Me and my dad have sat down for hours and watched film and dissected these professional guys. We’ve been able to build a strong base. He’s taught me everything I know. I give him all the credit.”
Lazor, too, deserves credit score for navigating a childhood that concerned shifting each two or three years. That has required him to vary colleges steadily, make new mates and regulate to new coaches and methods.
That could be a problem for any child, however Lazor doesn’t view it negatively.
“It’s been an awesome experience,” he mentioned. “I wouldn’t name it a problem in any respect. I feel it has helped me develop lots of nice social abilities, lots of nice management abilities, lots of competitiveness.
“I’ve always had to go in and beat out a different quarterback, whoever was there. It’s helped me get an edge on that kind of stuff. I’ll go off to college, and I’m already used to going to a new school and new team and competing.”
Bouncing again
Lazor enrolled at Vernon Hills for his sophomore yr after his father was employed by the Bears, and his first soccer season with the Cougars was delayed till spring 2021 as a result of coronavirus pandemic.
But he didn’t get the possibility to play as a sophomore. During a basketball sport, he put his arm down to interrupt a fall and suffered a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder.
It was a devastating damage for a quarterback, however Lazor recovered rapidly after surgical procedure and performed final season, sharing the play-calling duties with then-senior Jake Pieper.
To keep away from overusing Lazor’s arm, Bellecomo used Pieper as a operating quarterback whereas having Lazor play about half the time. Lazor accomplished 32 of 74 passes for 588 yards with six touchdowns and 5 interceptions. He additionally scored two dashing touchdowns for the Cougars (7-3), who misplaced to Prairie Ridge 49-0 within the first spherical of the playoffs.
“I didn’t think he’d be ready last year,” Bellecomo mentioned. “He labored so arduous to get again in eight months, which is exceptional for that type of damage.
“He told me that every throw last year felt different. He had to reteach that arm.”
While he did that, Lazor additionally used his downtime correctly, staying constructive and related together with his teammates.
“What I’m most impressed with is his attitude,” Bellecomo mentioned. “Even when he tore his labrum, he’s like, ‘Coach, I’ve simply started working more durable.’
“You take positives out of an injury, and it helped with his leadership skills. Any time you have to face adversity like that, I think it teaches you a lot about yourself.”
Lazor mentioned his arm feels nice and is stronger than ever. He competed in 12 school camps this summer season along with the same old 7-on-7 showcases with the Cougars.
“I really know the system,” Lazor mentioned. “I’m able to teach it to all the new guys, so it’s wonderful. I’ve developed a great relationship with all the coaches and players.”
Bright future
The Cougars are primed to benefit from Lazor’s expertise. Even although all of their receivers graduated, they’re aiming to win the Central Suburban North and make a deeper playoff run this season.
“Our team is great,” Lazor mentioned. “Receivers Jack Ratajczyk, Anthony Martorano, Erik Boehmer, all of them do an ideal job, and we’ve got an outstanding operating again in Ben Choi.
“I feel really confident. It’s coming easy to me on the field right now, so I’m running with it and gaining confidence as we go.”
That confidence is rubbing off on Lazor’s teammates, who prize his management and encouragement.
“He’s very instructive,” Ratajczyk mentioned. “He is aware of what you’re imagined to do, so if I do one thing flawed, he’ll right me, and he’ll be capable to inform me how I can enhance myself.
“If I make a good catch, he’ll say, ‘Good catch, Jack.’ And then if he makes a good throw, I’ll say it back to him.”
Lazor has been working diligently together with his receivers to create a bond.
“We’ve been working all summer on and off the field,” Ratajczyk mentioned. “In the weight room, we’re always pushing each other to see who can do more. We just have a great connection.”
Lazor lacks an enormous ego. That, too, endears him to the Cougars.
“He’s very humble,” Ratajczyk mentioned. “That’s the one thing that stands out about him. Nothing bad ever comes out of his mouth. He’ll take instructive criticism very well. If you tell him something, he’ll listen.”
Lazor, after all, additionally listens to his father, now greater than ever. Bill Lazor at all times attends his son’s video games, however after being fired by the Bears in January, he has extra time to assist out and is a volunteer coach for the Cougars.
“The timing was good,” Nolan Lazor mentioned. “It’s a lot of fun having him here.”
His teammates agree.
“He’s been coaching us up,” Elster mentioned of Bill Lazor. “He’s been a really big help. He was working with me on my long snaps and stuff like that. He’s just been a good influence on the team and definitely builds on the excitement.”
Bellecomo mentioned he’s thrilled to have Bill Lazor working with the Cougars.
“Bill was with us all summer,” Bellecomo mentioned. “With his knowledge of the game and especially the quarterback position, it is just invaluable to have that kind of coach around and to be able to pick his brain. That’s awesome.”
Nolan Lazor has talked to varsity coaches from each stage, together with some Ivy League colleges, and simply obtained a suggestion from Roosevelt University.
“(Colleges) are waiting for the beginning of the season,” he mentioned. “I’ve visited some great schools, and I’ve gotten a feel for them, and they’ve gotten a feel for me.”
Regardless of his future in soccer, Lazor has set himself up for achievement. He has a 4.33 GPA and plans to main in engineering in school.
But he gained’t put a man-made ceiling on his taking part in potential.
“I don’t want to limit myself,” Lazor mentioned. “I clearly wish to go get an ideal schooling as a result of I feel I’ve a future past soccer.
“I’m really trying to find the best opportunity for me and get there. I just want to do great.”
Bellecomo foresees Lazor doing simply that and mentioned he’s going to relish his closing season teaching Lazor.
“The sky’s the limit for him,” Bellecomo mentioned. “I think he’s going to have a great year just based on what I’ve seen so far. He just needs time on the field, and he’s going to get a lot of it this year.”
Matt Le Cren is a contract reporter for Pioneer Press.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com