Complete package

The Oak Mountain High School football team needed to cover 28 yards in two seconds if it wanted to reach the end zone before halftime. Clearly, head coach Cris Bell and offensive coordinator Austin Karcher had one viable option: target No. 13, Carson Bobo. 

It worked. 

The Eagles’ 6-foot-5 tight end lined up on the left side of the shotgun formation and ran a “poco” route, faking a post before cutting toward the corner. Not even a double team from the Spain Park secondary could prevent him from making a leaping catch near the front left pylon.

“Connor Webb threw a perfect pass, and I can’t not catch a perfect pass,” said Bobo, a senior, after his team’s 29-3 victory inlate October. 

The highlight-reel play, which was one of many that Bobo made during a breakout 2017 season, underscored his value in the Eagles offense. He finished the fall with nine touchdown receptions and more than 600 yards receiving. 

The numbers would hold their own on most high school teams, but they garner special acclaim given Oak Mountain’s allegiance to the triple option. 

Bell called Bobo the best tight end in the state. 

“You began to see he had such a mindset that the ball was his, and he wasn’t going to be denied it,” Bell said. “That’s what you want to have out of your primary, go-to receiver, and that’s what he became for us.”

Although Bobo’s high school football career ended in November, the grit he cultivated on the gridiron remains ingrained in his composition. The same competitive nature that fueled his Friday night heroics drives him to be the three-sport athlete, standout student and gregarious leader of the Oak Mountain student body that he is. 

“Obviously he’s a hell of an athlete, but I don’t think that’s what people appreciate him for,” said Oak Mountain boys basketball coach Chris Love. “I think they appreciate him for who he is as a person, and then the fact that he can do what he does athletically, I guess makes it even more special.” 

Love is well acquainted with Bobo’s athletic prowess. He watched him carve up secondaries throughout the fall before welcoming him back to his roster upon football’s conclusion. Bobo, who has played both sports since his freshman year, took only three days off between the two seasons. 

But he has never minded the quick turnaround. Bobo credits the pursuits for instilling discipline and structuring his days. Plus, they have been complementary. 

His experience on the hardwood as a forward-center combo taught him how to box out defenders and pull down rebounds, which are skills that transferred seamlessly to the football field. Take the play against Spain Park, for instance. 

The aggression he honed in football also translated back to the court, prompting him to attack the boards and dive for loose balls.  

“He is one of the toughest, most hard-nosed competitors that I’ve ever coached,” Love said. “Hates to lose.”

Thus, it was no surprise that Bobo experienced a quick rise in his newest athletic endeavor. At the suggestion of Karcher, who also coaches track and field, Bobo began to throw javelin last spring. The event proved a natural fit. A couple months after entering his first competition, he notched a 10th-place finish at the Class 7A state meet. 

“It was definitely a pleasant surprise,” Karcher said. 

Bobo plans to throw again this spring, marking his third sport in three seasons. And he will do it while continuing to shoulder a heavy academic load. Unwilling to coast through his senior year, he is juggling five Advanced Placement courses — physics, calculus, macroeconomics, government and Spanish — along with a dual-enrollment class. 

Bobo insists he takes academics as seriously as athletics, if not more so. His 4.29 GPA corroborates the claim. 

“I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t enjoy it,” Bobo said of his schedule. “I try to stand out because I know that’s what colleges want, and that’s how I’m going to be successful.”

Colleges also look for students engaged in diverse extracurricular activities. Bobo checks that box, too. In addition to his academic and athletic involvement, he is a member of the student government executive council, co-chair of Relay for Life and member of the leadership committee for National Honor Society. 

He also was elected homecoming king. 

“He’s everything that you want from a student-athlete,” Bell said.  “He’s somebody who everybody respects: faculty, staff, other students. He is just a high character young man.” 

In late November, Bobo remained unsure about his future plans. He was contemplating a college football career, having already secured offers from Davidson and Virginia Military Institute. But he also had conversed with coaches from a few Ivy League schools. 

Football is Bobo’s first love, and he said he would like to continue playing if the right opportunity arises. If not, he’ll aim to land a spot in the honors college at Alabama or Auburn. 

“It’s a lot to think about,” he said. 

Karcher foresees a bright outlook for Bobo, independent of his college decision. He and Bell witnessed their team leader’s tenacity while preparing for the football season, as Bobo packed on 35 pounds in an effort to position himself for success. 

Bobo’s dedication to preparation sowed confidence among the coaching staff, and he reaped the benefits throughout the fall.

Continually, he came through in the clutch. 

“Like I’ve told every coach, I think this kid has the ‘it’ factor,” Karcher said.