young male in letterman's jacket

Dominating the Line

When Elkhorn South High School junior Teddy Prochazka committed to play football for the University of Nebraska—Lincoln (UNL), he texted the football program but kept it a secret from the coaches. Right before the Ohio State game, Teddy went down on the field to tell Coach Scott Frost in person. But he was even more excited to tell Coach Greg Austin, the offensive line coach, who was the last to know since he was the last one out of the tunnel. “It was pretty funny,” Teddy said. “He was super excited to hear about it, though.”

According to Elkhorn South football coach, Guy Rosenberg, “Colleges want height and athleticism at Offensive Tackle and, as a result, Teddy was in high demand.” Teddy had been waffling between Northwestern and Nebraska, “but just going to a few more football games at Nebraska kind of tipped the scale in that direction. And being so close to home.” Teddy’s family had also been supportive with the process. “No pressure on my decision at all because of home state. I really appreciated that.”

At 6’9”, Teddy’s physical presence on the field is impressive, but growing up, his size made him feel like the odd man out. “I remember even as a kid, just being awkward for how big I was. Always the tall kid.” Going into his freshman year, Teddy decided to use his size to his advantage. “I don’t really worry about it anymore. It’s more of a positive thing than a negative thing.”

Teddy loves playing football for Elkhorn South. “The coaches do a good job of making sure it’s player-led, so the captains on the team are real leaders.” Once football season ends, Teddy rolls right into basketball season. This year will be his last playing basketball for Elkhorn South because he plans to graduate in December 2020 and early enroll at Nebraska. Teddy plans to pursue a degree in sports marketing, but he can’t wait to play football. “I want to get out there and start working out with them, making good connections with the football coaches.”

Coach Rosenberg believes Teddy will be a great addition to the UNL team. “Teddy has a rare combination of height, power, and athleticism. When you combine that with his work ethic and mean streak, he’s a force on both offense and defense.”

Leave a Reply