The Star is counting down the top high school football players in Southern Arizona. Up today: Tanque Verde offensive tackle Jack Endean.
Name: Jack Endean
Rundown: Endean is a 6-foot-6-inch, 280-pound junior at Tanque Verde.
Who he is: Unlike most kids, Endeanโs earliest memories of football was around an NFL team. Not just any team, but Al Davisโ Oakland Raiders.
Endeanโs father, Ty Endean, served on the medical staff for both the Raiders and the NHLโs San Jose Sharks. After the Endeans moved to Tucson, Ty became the team doctor at Cienega during the height of Nemer Hasseyโs tenure with the Bobcats.
โHe took me to NFL training camp when I was 10, and he showed me that you can watch and learn a lot about people by watching them. Thatโs something that Iโve always had to my benefit. Iโve been raised around football, whether it was training camp or being around the guys at Cienega,โ Jack Endean said. โI could see what to do and what not to do. Thatโs something Iโve always been blessed with.โ
Endean inherited his size from his father, who was an offensive lineman at Sacramento State and played briefly in the NFL.
โHe realized he wasnโt capable of that talent, but he knew he wanted to be around football,โ Jack said. โThatโs when he went to medical school and then with his fellowship, thatโs when he was able to work with the Raiders, and heโs been doing that ever since.โ
Jack Endean knew he was destined to play football, especially given his imposing stature.
โIโve been big my whole life, so Iโve always been told that I canโt do many things outside of football,โ he said. โPlaying football gives me a chance to have fun, but also be aggressive, and thatโs a good thing because I wonโt get in trouble for it. โฆ It also gives me a platform. Iโve always wanted to use it to help other people and show how football can be used to better your life.โ
Endean began his high school career at Salpointe Catholic, where he played behind current UCLA lineman Bruno Fina and Oregonโs Jonah Miller, among others. He learned how to โturn on that nasty switch,โ Endean said.
โIf youโre a big kid in Tucson, a lot of times youโre able to dominate a smaller opponent, but you have to play with that nasty attitude, because on the next level, all those kids are just as big, just as strong and just as fast as you, and that mental and emotional side is where that separation comes; Jackieโs got that,โ said Tanque Verde coach Jay Dobyns, a former Arizona Wildcat and ex-assistant coach at Salpointe Catholic.
Endeanโs offensive line coach at TVHS is Jeff Kiewell, who played for the UA and the NFLโs Atlanta Falcons.
โTanque Verde is just a good school, especially academically, which is always a good thing. Coach Dobyns is just an amazing person, and he cares about each one of us as people,โ Endean said. โHe cares more about us as people than players, and heโs just someone you can depend on, someone who can show you how to be a man, and heโs just a great football coach.โ
Added Endean: โItโs just nice to play for people who went from Tucson to playing in college and even some of them in the pros. They know what theyโre doing and understand that sometimes Tucson doesnโt get the most love, so they can show us how to do that.โ
Endean will sit the first game of the season against Santa Rita because of the Arizona Interscholastic Associationโs transfer rule, though heโs planning to appeal the ruling.
โItโs out of my control, so I donโt try to worry about it. โฆ Iโm trying to be a players coach as much as I can. Not going to lie, itโs kind of difficult, but itโs out of my control,โ Endean said. โI see it as a positive and I just want to help the other guys and get a chance to learn.โ
Jack Endean is โthat kid that every program wants, and it starts off the field,โ Tanque Verde coach Jay Dobyns says, citing the linemanโs work ethic and passion outside of football.
Proof heโs good: Endean already has scholarship offers from both Arizona and Cal. He has also visited Michigan, Michigan State and SMU, and plans to return to those schools for unofficial visits.
โIโm just trying to get some film to get out there,โ Endean said. โI pass the eyeball test and my workout tape is good, but I just need a highlight tape to validate it.โ
He said it: โJackie is that kid youโre looking for. Heโs that kid that every program wants, and it starts off the field. Heโs a great young man, treats people the right way, heโs a great student and heโs got interest sbeyond football. On the football field, heโs just a workaholic and an old-school gym rat that just canโt get enough practice, reps, work to try and improve. Those are the kind of kids you want to surround yourself with, especially in high school.โ โ Dobyns
