Lavarion Logan commits to South Dakota State while focusing on state run at Merrillville
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (BVM) — Lavarion Logan has tasted success already at Merrillville. However, he and his Pirates teammates have come up just short of their ultimate state championship goal the past couple of years.
This year has brought a new opportunity, though, and the 11-0 Pirates think this could very well be the year they raise a gold trophy at Lucas Oil Stadium.
A state championship would help Logan achieve a goal that has been a long time coming since he first began playing the sport.
“My parents really pushed me to play football when I was younger,” Logan said. “We really enjoyed watching football … I just wanted to go out and do it.”
Initially, Logan started off playing primarily defense, but soon found his home on the offensive side of the ball.
“When I first started playing running back, that’s when it started to feel like I can actually do something with this,” Logan said. “I started actually loving it and perfecting my craft at the running back position.”
Idolizing the likes of NFL stars Nick Chubb and Derrick Henry, Logan has developed vision and strength that have turned him into a one of the top rushers in the state of Indiana.
After a learning year in his freshman season of high school football, Logan played at Joliet Catholic Academy as a sophomore, giving him his first taste of competition at the varsity level.
“They have a great program over there, I learned a lot of new things,” Logan mentioned.
However, the running back returned to Merrillville High School for his junior season, and the Pirates were thrilled to have him back. In a true breakout campaign, Logan rushed for over 1,600 yards and 25 touchdowns, helping his team to a 10-2 record as well as district and sectional championships.
“Junior year was great,” Logan said. “Playing running back here is great. Breaking out with over 1,600 yards was a blessing. I had a great offensive line last year and I have a great offensive line this year.”
The Pirates would fall just a couple of wins short of winning a state title last season, but that heartbreak added plenty of fuel to the fire as Merrillville began play this fall.
Still undefeated on the year, Logan has bettered his junior season numbers playing behind his strong offensive line and alongside talented quarterback Angel Nelson. While Merrillville could very well end up having several Division I college players on its roster, there are currently only two players committed: Michigan signee Kenneth Grant and Logan himself after he officially announced his decision last month.
Logan had over 10 Division I offers, and strongly considered attending the Naval Academy or Illinois State. However, a month ago, South Dakota State extended an offer to the running back. After getting to attend the Jackrabbits’ contest against Northern Iowa a few weeks back, Logan was sold on the program and officially committed.
https://twitter.com/TankL_/status/1452321907005706241
“I chose South Dakota State because it’s a great program, great coaching staff, nice facilities and nice people around the community,” Logan said. “The people really stood apart and told me everything I needed to know about South Dakota State.”
The Jackrabbits have a history of producing solid running backs, including current starter and potential NFL prospect Pierre Strong Jr. Logan hopes he can fit into that mold while helping South Dakota State to newfound success.
“I’m really excited,” Logan said. “I have big goals, I want to win a national championship. I just want to go up there and work hard, have fun playing football at the next level. I just can’t wait.”
Of course, if Logan is able to follow the footsteps of Strong Jr., there is a chance he could achieve one of his longtime goals: playing professional football.
“It would be amazing,” Logan said. “I know that comes with hard work … it’s going to take a lot but I’m ready to do it and see what my future holds.”
Although that kind of future could be in the cards, Logan’s mentality is to take things one week at a time. As the Pirates continue their playoff run, Logan continues to impress, whether it was his 250-plus-yard performance against Crown Point, or helping Merrillville to an IHSAA Class 6A sectional win over Lafayette Jefferson. Next up is a regional contest versus Penn as the Pirates look to get back to semi-state.
“We’re focused on beating Penn this week,” Logan said. “I feel like if we practice hard we can go out and do it. If we play hard from the start and come out and punch them in the mouth, we’ll be good.”
Logan has also achieved impressive personal milestones through this late-season run, recently becoming Merrillville football’s all-time leading rusher, surpassing his current running backs coach, Denzel Pierce.
Congrats to @mhspiratefball RB @TankL_ on becoming the All-Time Leading Rusher in Merrillville Football history! He surpassed his RB coach @boobie2734 with 3608 career rushing yards! Congrats Lavarion! pic.twitter.com/dohT5s44s0
— MerrillvilleFootball (@mhspiratefball) November 7, 2021
“That honor was great,” Logan said. “I had no idea I was that close. I’m still not big on that right now because I want to keep going forward and focus on the team, but it was awesome. Coach Pierce is a great guy, great person and great coach. Being able to go out there and break his record was amazing; an honor, really.”
In what has been a special senior season and overall career at Merrillville, it only feels fitting that Logan would go out as a state champion. To do so with a group of guys he has grown so close to over the last couple of years would make it even sweeter.
“Winning one would be amazing, that’s what we’ve been working towards,” Logan said. “The bond that we have is probably one of the biggest reasons we’ve built a winning culture here. We love each other, we care for each other. We have a lot of Division I talent, but we really don’t focus on that. Making it that far is something we’re looking forward to.”
