Whoever invented the nose guard job had to be sadist. There's no other explanation. The job is not for everybody that's for sure. You're getting double and sometimes even triple-teamed on any given play, and you're doing the not-easily-seen dirty work.
Yet Carson High junior Logan Peternell doesn't seem to mind. Peternell has a certain comfort level in that position.
He's used to multiple linemen banging into him on every play. In fact, he was downright giddy when he moved from middle linebacker back to nose guard earlier this year.
"It's what I'm good at," the 6-foot 220-pound Peternell said Monday as he prepared for today's game (7 p.m.) at Reno. "I know how to play it because I've been playing it ever since Pop Warner. I always wanted to play linebacker. I just started this year, and it was a whole lot to learn, though. I'm much more comfortable at the nose.
"I haven't made a whole lot of tackles. Basically I try to funnel things back to the linebackers. I'm not the best bull rusher. I just try to get into the backfield as fast as I can. I have responsibility for both A gap (either side of the center). I try to read the feet of the center. Where his feet are going 90 percent of the time that's where the play is going."
His comfort level shows. He plays the nose with more instinct than he did at linebacker, and when you have instinct it makes for quicker and usually better decision making. At linebacker, Peternell had to think first before he reacted because it was a new position.
"We put him there because he has that middle linebacker mentality," Carson coach Blair Roman said. "Against Del Campo I thought he played pretty well ... When Tyler (Collins) came back from his injury, we had to find a way to get our best 11 players on the field at the same time, so we moved Logan back to the nose. He's had a great season.
"He creates a lot of issues (for an offense). He's a natural. We ask our noses to slant a lot and slip a lot and stunt. He creates havoc. He just seems to slither through openings and gets penetration. He's done a better job this year when he's gone head up against guys. He has six or seven quarterback hurries where he's forced the quarterback to get rid of the ball before he wants or has forced him into a bad pass."
It's a position where you aren't supposed to rack up a lot of big numbers, but Peternell has 49 tackles, which is third on the team behind Chance Quilling (75) and Tyler Collins (54). He also has one big interception, that coming on Douglas' first play in the overtime. Carson won when Austin Pacheco kicked a game-winning field goal three plays later.
It's certainly the type of play Roman envisioned when he took Peternell on as a sophomore. Peternell just didn't sit and watch last season. He played a substantial role in the Senators' record-setting 9-3 season which included a Sierra League championship.
"His work ethic in the weight room," Roman said when asked what prompted him to consider Peternell for last year's varsity team. "Obviously he was physically more mature than the others. We thought that would make him a candidate to move up.
"He started three or four games last year. He was in more of a relief role. He did a good job for us last year and learned a lot."
And, Peternell said it made him a better player for this season.
"I knew I'd play," Peternell said. "I didn't think I'd start at all, especially with Justin (Barlow) and Ryan (Hoskins). Having to go against people that were bigger and better than me made me a better player. If I had played JV I would have gotten through (people) all the time."
Peternell would give Barlow breathers so the standout senior could concentrate on his offensive line duties.
Peternell is in much the same position this year. He spends the bulk of his time at nose guard, but he plays some right guard, too. When he needs a breather on offense, Zach Hudacko comes in.
Peternell started playing offense in spring ball and continued on during the summer. He actually started the opener against Del Campo at center because Gall was injured
"I learned all the plays," Peternell said. "I'm not the best at the rules. Sometimes I'll have to talk to (Matt) Cooper and he'll help me with them. It was a lot to learn."
Carson is averaging nearly 300 yards a game on the ground, so Peternell and the rest of his teammates are getting the job done up front.
Peternell is quick to admit that he prefers defense to offense, and that's mostly because of his comfort level.
Graduation will hit Carson hard this year, so it's likely that Peternell will play a lot of offense and defense next year.
Last week Peternell took on another different role. He served as the long snapper on field goals and extra points.
Junior Keegan Aiazzi went down to the JV squad to help out the younger team, which had lost several players to injuries and grades recently.
"I practiced a couple of times during the week for about 5 to 10 minutes," Peternell said. "Right after pre-game, coach said I needed to snap. I got it done."
"He did OK," Roman said. "He had some nice snaps. Austin (Pacheco) was 2-for-2 on field goals and looked good."
Peternell also made another major contribution on special teams earlier in the year against Manogue. With Carson trailing 14-6 and facing a fourth-and-1 from its own 39, Peternell took a direct snap and gained three yards and a first down. Carson ended up kicking a field goal and cutting the deficit to 14-9. Carson would go on to win 29-14.
"Coach (Steve) Dilley called that from the sidelines," Peternell said. "He said he always wanted to try it. Running the ball is a lineman's dream."