He stops dead, pounds his right cleat into the turf, cuts left, and the crowd gasps. The three purple uniforms that had previously been trying to tackle him had no chance as Mike McHugh exploded around them toward the goal line.
“When I make a play and get into open field, the first thing I think about is to score,” McHugh, senior, said. “But that’s a brief thought. Then, as I run toward the endzone, I always smile. I can’t help myself. That’s why I play football; it’s fun to make a good play. There’s no better feeling.”
He’s got reason to be smiling. McHugh’s laundry list of highlight reel plays is almost as impressive as his stats. He has 795 receiving yards; no one else is within 400 (all stats as of press time). He’s also got 12 receiving touchdowns. To put that in perspective, Jeremy Maclin, class of 2006, had 11 in 2005, when he was a first team All-State wide receiver.
Like Maclin, McHugh will play Division I football in college. However, McHugh will play at Northwestern University. A Big Ten school. On a full ride.
“Toward the end of my junior year, [Northwestern] stopped by school during the recruiting period,” McHugh said. “I talked to the receiver coach, and they wanted me to come up to their summer camp for further evaluation. I performed well and got the scholarship.”
According to McHugh, Northwestern did not give him the scholarship solely based on his ability as a wide receiver.
“After the camp, [Northwestern] said one of the reasons they wanted me to come up was they wanted me to play my freshman year,” McHugh said. “They thought I could potentially play more than one position my freshman year besides receiver—maybe defensive back or special teams. They said I’d find a way on the field freshman year.”
Matt Irvin, KHS head football coach, said McHugh’s greatest value at any position is his extraordinary athleticism.
“He’s very explosive and fast with great acceleration. He can get to his full speed very quickly,” Irvin said. “He’ll catch the ball when he’s seemingly stationary and suddenly explode down the field.”
McHugh received a scare when he dislocated his shoulder earlier this season. After the MRI, doctors told him he also had a torn labrum in his left shoulder, an injury that prevents full range of motion for his arm. He has a surgery to repair his labrum scheduled for Dec. 1.
“For a full recovery, it’ll be six months,” McHugh said. “It’s the same surgery that coach [Bill] Gunn got, and he was out of a sling in three to four weeks. But for a full recovery, you need therapy. It’ll be a few months before I can move my arm above my head, let alone lift a weight.”
Although the injury has not affected his playing time this season, McHugh expects it may affect his playing time freshman year at Northwestern.
“They’ll re-evaluate me when I get up there next year and see if I’m good to go,” McHugh said.
As for this year, McHugh is confident that Kirkwood can advance deep into the playoffs.
“If we play like we know we can, I don’t see why we couldn’t win state,” he said. We’ve played well so far, and we just need to keep it going.”
McHugh does not necessarily expect to play in the NFL. However, he realizes it is a distinct possibility.
“One of the best parts about Northwestern is that I’ll receive a great education, so if I don’t get drafted, I’ll still have a backup. But, if I can maximize my potential,” McHugh said with a hint of a smile, “well, I’d certainly hope I could make it.”
