LEXINGTON — Joe Caudill didn’t see any reason to wait.
When you know, you know.
Lexington’s senior quarterback committed to Michigan State late last January — just weeks after receiving an offer from the Spartans. While it’s not unheard of for blue-chippers to shut down their recruitment so early in the cycle, it doesn’t happen often.
The vast majority of major-college recruits, including Caudill’s Lex teammate and Georgia recruit Brayden Fogle, wait until the summer to announce their college choice. Caudill was ahead of schedule, but has never second-guessed his early call.
“It was really a no-brainer,” Caudill said. “It felt like home and everything was so genuine.”
Michigan State made its offer on Jan. 8. Caudill took an unofficial visit to the East Lansing campus shortly thereafter and committed Jan. 24.
“They came into the school and saw my film then left to go see someone else,” Caudill said of the whirlwind courtship. “They texted me and were like, ‘Stay at the school. We’re coming back to see you.’ They came back the same day and offered me.”
The 6-foot-4, 230-pound Caudill is listed as an athlete by most recruiting services. He will play tight end for the Spartans.
Lex coach Andrew Saris said MSU can’t go wrong no matter where they put Caudill.
“Joe is a football player,” Saris said. “I’d put that kid at all 22 positions.”
As for Caudill, he doesn’t care where he lines up.
“I’ve always seen myself as a football player and that’s what I told schools when they came in,” Caudill said. “They would ask me what position I saw myself at and I’d tell them, ‘Whatever position you want me to play.’ ”
He comes by that mentality honestly. His older brother, Clay, was a two-way standout on Mansfield Senior’s 2019 state runner-up team. Oldest brother Sid was the quarterback of Senior High’s 2017 playoff team.
So who does Joe take after?
“I’m a mix of both of them,” Caudill said. “I get the quarterback from Sid and being with Clay, he’s always been that physical guy.”
Lexington is 2-1 after last week’s thrilling 31-28 win over backyard rival Clear Fork. Caudill completed 15-of-24 passes for 230 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 101 yards and a score on 18 carries.
For the season, Caudill has completed 39-of-76 passes for 596 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for a team-best 186 yards and three TDs on 53 carries. He also has 15 tackles, including a team-leading four tackles for loss.
Lex was 0-3 at this point a year ago. The Minutemen won five of their final seven games and qualified for the playoffs as a No. 12 seed in Region 10 of Division III.
Lexington won a pair of road playoff games, including a 49-29 victory at Rocky River in the regional quarterfinals. Caudill had a game for the ages, rushing for 189 yards and five touchdowns on 16 carries and completing 14-of-19 passes for 191 yards and two TDs.
“It was so fun,” Caudill said. “There was a moment when I scored my fourth and I was like, ‘How many touchdowns do I have?’
“It was a tie game and I cracked off an 80-yarder and I realized we were not going to lose that game.”
The clock struck midnight on Lexington’s storybook run the following week. The Minutemen fell to eventual state runner-up Toledo Central Catholic 35-7 in the regional semifinals.
“It was definitely a humbling moment,” Caudill said. “You come off the Rocky River game where you played great and then you run into them.
“You realize what you have to compete with.”
The Minutemen host Akron North on Friday before entering Ohio Cardinal Conference play. Lexington finished second in the OCC last year after falling to Ashland in the final week of the regular season.
Regardless of how his senior football season plays out, Caudill is relishing every moment. He will graduate early to enroll at Michigan State in January.
That means passing up his senior basketball season.
“It was probably one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever made,” Caudill said of the decision to forego his final basketball season. “It was really hard when I had to tell ‘Hammy’ (basketball coach Scott Hamilton).
“I love basketball. I’ve played basketball for as long as I can remember, but when the opportunity is here you’ve got to jump on it.”
It has become customary for recruits to early-enroll. Caudill said 18 of the 20 MSU recruits in his class will arrive on campus in January.
“I told ‘Hammy’ I wish there was a rule where nobody could (enroll early),” Caudill said. “I wish nobody could do it and we all had to stay.
“At the end of the day if 18 out of 20 guys are going early, I can’t be six months behind.”
That makes the coming weeks even more important. Caudill will embrace it all.
“(MSU tight ends coach Brian Wozniak) told me to enjoy every second with my best friends,” Caudill said. “That is what I’m going to do.”