With Big Ten back in action, LaPorta can continue to grow in role with Iowa Hawkeyes
Former Highland star Sam LaPorta had played in big games before.
A two-way starter throughout his four years as a member of the Highland High School football program, LaPorta was one of the unquestioned leaders on Bulldogs teams which reached the IHSA Class 5A state semifinals in 2017 and quarterfinals in 2018 before losing to eventual state champions Rochester and Joliet Catholic, respectively.
But playing in the Holiday Bowl at San Diego County Credit Union Stadium before a crowd of 50,000 and on a nationally televised ESPN telecast, LaPorta, a freshman tight end for the Iowa Hawkeyes, shined in his first big game at the college level.
On a night when another former metro-east star — Hawkeyes senior defensive end AJ Epenesa of Edwardsville —was named as the Defensive Player of the Game, the 6-4, 248-pound LaPorta was one of the stars on offense as he had a career high six catches for 44 yards in a 49-24 win over the University of Southern California Trojans.
For LaPorta, his performance conjured up memories of watching former USC players such as Reggie Bush in the Holiday Bowl. On this night, LaPorta helped the Hawkeyes put the finishing touch on a 10-3 season and finish 15th in the Associated Press top 25 football poll.
“There was a feeling that night in San Diego that you can’t recreate. Kind of like of like playing in a Big Ten Conference stadium,” LaPorta said. “That night was just awesome because I felt like I contributed to the team in so many different ways. I had a lot of family members there that night and I knew that everybody back home was watching.
“That night I walked out of there so happy and so proud of myself ... I felt like I showed what a small town kid can do on a big stage.”
Big or small stage, LaPorta has been showing what he can do athletically since earning a spot in Highland coach Jim Warnecke’s starting lineup at both defensive back and wide receiver as a 14-year-old freshman.
Four years later after helping to lead the Bulldogs to a 40-6 record and twice earning all-state honors, LaPorta left Madison County for Iowa City as one of the best athletes in Highland High School history.
As a wide receiver, few in IHSA state history have been as productive as LaPorta, who, following his senior season, ranked second in Illinois high school history in receiving touchdowns (50) and third in receiving yards (3,793). His senior year, LaPorta recorded 68 receptions for 1,457 yards and 19 touchdowns, along with 53 tackles and seven interceptions on defense.
As a junior, LaPorta had 67 receptions for 1,387 yards and 20 touchdowns.
But like all college athletes, LaPorta experienced a transition period his first year at Iowa. Not only did he have to learn to juggle sports, academics and a social life, but LaPorta had to learn a new position — tight end — at one of the top college football programs in the nation.
Becoming an Iowa Hawkeye
LaPorta spent much of his time in the weight room early during his freshman season, getting stronger as he prepared for his first year as a tight end.
Then came an even more difficult challenge: Learning to be a college athlete and all that goes along with it both on and off the playing field.
“The toughest part of adjusting to college football for me was the mental aspect and that the speed of the game is so much faster,” LaPorta said. “The athletes are better, the game is so much more physical and it’s more mentally straining with everything that is going on around you.
“With me, I was learning a new position last year, then you are dealing with playing before huge crowds, being on the road. Then you are trying to find ways of helping the team as well. All of those things combined make the game more difficult at the college level.”
Being a freshman and below a few upperclassmen on the depth chart at tight end when the season began, LaPorta saw action in six of the Hawkeyes first seven games, but didn’t make his first college reception until week eight, catching two passes for 43 yards.
During the game — a 20-0 win at Northwestern — LaPorta had a season-long 41 yard reception. The next week at Wisconsin, LaPorta made the first of his two starts on the season, hauling in one pass for 16 yards in a 24-22 loss.
“I was kind of the next guy on the depth chart. One of our guys went down and coach Brian Ferentz, our positions coach, came over and told me that I was going to be the guy that week. In the back of my mind I was a little nervous ... but I was l so excited. I knew how hard I had worked to get there that I knew I would be ready to seize my opportunity,” LaPorta said.
“I’m still progressing. Not playing much early was hard. You go into college and you really want to make an impact on the team. But sometimes that’s not the case for some guys.
“You really have to make your way to the team by showing good effort and making a positive impact. Standing on the sidelines is really hard for a lot of guys. But over time, your chance will come. I thought I was ready for it when it came for me.”
One of only eight true freshmen on the Hawkeyes roster to play a year ago, LaPorta finished his season with 15 receptions for 166 yards
COVID-19 pandemic and home in Highland
Like most Americans, LaPorta’s world came to a standstill last spring with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The third of Joseph and Staci LaPorta’s four children, LaPorta spent much of the spring semester at home in Highland.
The LaPorta’s are an athletic family. Olivia LaPorta, the oldest, graduated from Fordham University in New York City where she played volleyball, and middle sister, Alex LaPorta, is a senior at the University of Missouri at St. Louis where she plays basketball.
The youngest sister, Bella, is a senior at Highland, where she is a standout in both volleyball and basketball.
“I’m really bummed out about Bella not being able to play her fall sports in her senior year. I think that if I would not have been able to play football my senior year that things would have shaken out a lot different for getting a chance to come to Iowa,” Sam LaPorta said.
“She hasn’t committed for college yet. I think she’s keeping an open mind about whether she wants to play volleyball or basketball in college, but, right now, I think she’s leaning towards playing volleyball.”
Big Ten reverses decision to play
The pandemic also had an affect on LaPorta’s life. In August, the Big Ten announced the postponement of the 2020-21 fall sports season due to ongoing health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
For LaPorta, who returned to Iowa City this summer to work out, the news was devastating.
“I think it was really tough for people in all college sports. Mainly because there was no goal in sight,” LaPorta said. “When you are in the weight room and working out all summer long in the heat and humidity, you know that you are going to be playing on Sept. 1 or around that time.. But this summer when were working our butts off we didn’t know if and when we were going to get a chance to play. There didn’t seem like there was any end in sight.”
But earlier this month, the conference reversed its decision, allowing for Big Ten Conference games only to begin Oct 24. Iowa opens its season at Purdue before playing its home opener Oct. 31 against Northwestern.
“Then we got the news that were going to play in five weeks and everybody is so excited. Then we realized how much work we had to do in such a short amount of time,” LaPorta said.
“I was just ecstatic when we got the news. You never really understand how much you love something until it’s not there. For me, football has been such a huge part of my life for the past 10-12 years, every fall playing the sport.”
The upcoming season
Sam LaPorta’s life couldn’t be much better right now as he heads into his sophomore season at Iowa.
Currently taking a heavy load of classes, spending time in the weight room and preparing with his teammates for the start of the season, LaPorta is on the John Mackey Award preseason Watch List The John Mackey Award is presented annually to college football’s most outstanding tight end.
LaPorta is also a preseason fourth team all Big Ten selection by Athlon Sports.
One person who is not surprised by LaPorta’s early success as a Hawkeye is Warnecke, who has been instrumental in LaPorta’s development as a player and person.
“It was great to see him play and play well at the bowl game last year. He’s on the big stage now and I know he’s enjoying every minute of it,” Warnecke said. “You know he was chomping at the bit to get out there and show everybody how hard he had been working. He got his opportunity and he took it and has made the most of it. He is a young man who responds well to a challenge.
“Sam is a great athlete who has a great family. His parents have done a great job. He’s a young man who isn’t afraid of hard work and it shows with the way he plays and competes.”
LaPorta also credits longtime Hawkeyes Kirk Ferentz for his early success at Iowa. The Hawkeyes coach since 1999, Ferentz has led Iowa to a mark of 162-104 and two Big Ten titles.
“I would say that coach Ferentz is more of a person than he is a coach. What I mean by that is that he understands you as a player, an individual, and he treats you as one,” LaPorta said. “He never looks at you as another blocking dummy to throw out on the field.. He gets to know you as an individual.
“He’s a great coach, but he’s even a better person.”
Up next for former Highland star
Iowa is expected to compete with longtime rivals Minnesota and Wisconsin, among others, for the Big Ten West Division title this fall. LaPorta knows, no matter the opponent, each week will be a battle.
“The Big Ten is so strong. There isn’t a week that you go into a game not knowing that you’re going to be in for a dogfight and that you need to play at your very best or there is a chance that you might get beat,” LaPorta said.
“My goals for this season? Everybody wants tangible goals. But I just want to maximize my potential. We go over fundamentals every day in practice and to see those things transitioning to the field. I want to be able to contribute in any way that I can to the offense, to be able to help the running game and the passing game. I think that’s a great goal for myself.”
LaPorta is majoring in business at Iowa and knows a business degree will go a long way towards a secure future. That is if a future in the NFL isn’t possible.
“Having a business degree from a Big Ten Conference school will open a lot of doors for me, but I think everybody who plays college football dreams of playing in the NFL,” LaPorta said. “I grew up watching the St. Louis Rams play at the Edward Jones Dome. I think it would be really cool to play the game I love at the highest level.”
This story was originally published September 28, 2020 at 10:00 AM.
