MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
On most days, Sean Landez is tugged every which direction.
During one segment of practice, Sharyland High will require that Landez line up with the offense, where he plays inside slot receiver. In another instance, the defense will ask that he step in at safety.
Then there’s his favorite — kickoff and punt returns — which affords the Rattlers’ all-purpose player a moment to freelance on an open field, with a crush of defenders eager to knock off one of Sharyland’s biggest threats.
Landez doesn’t mind the hefty workload. He revels in it.
“I love it,” Landez said. “I love the game. I love being able to contribute as much as possible. I don’t see it as too much. If my body gets tired, I take a break. But I don’t see it as a dreadful thing (to play both sides of the ball).
“It’s what I enjoy doing.”
Perhaps more than any player, Landez has had a hand in almost every position, spending time at quarterback in eighth grade and then turning his attention to the defensive end in high school. This year, coach Ron Adame added more responsibility by giving the senior more offensive reps, but not without keeping a watchful eye over his workhorse.
“He trains like a savage,” Adame said. “He trains hard in the summer. He’s one of these guys that you know he’s going to come in condition to start the year. Sometimes with him, you have to tone it back. You have to be smart with how much conditioning you put on his plate.
“After a while, you have to take care of the player’s legs and make sure they peak at game time and they don’t leave it all on the practice field.”
So far, Landez isn’t feeling fatigued from playing both sides of the ball. If he were, he knows the coaching staff would ease the workload. For now, however, Landez has been full-go in practice, making it easier for him to compete in games.
He experienced cramps in a couple instances last season, leading him to modify his workout and conditioning during the offseason. This year, Landez feels his body’s better equipped to withstand the rigors of a 10-game season plus playoffs.
In two games, he’s totaled 18 tackles (eight solo) while breaking up two passes and making two tackles for a loss. Landez came up big last week, intercepting a sure-fire touchdown in the end zone that would have narrowed the gap in a game Sharyland won 28-23.
“For an average person, it’s probably not as easy (to juggle this workload) because there is a lot on his plate,” defensive coordinator Craig Krell said. “But the type of kid Sean is, he’s going to spend time watching film, studying opponents, knowing his checks, what’s going on offensively, what’s going on with special teams.”
Landez entered his third year on varsity with 27 games experience. As a freshman, he moved up to varsity, where he played in a playoff game against Laredo United. Then as a sophomore, he stuck on as a safety and returner.
That’s when he broke out a 109-yard touchdown return that garnered national headlines.
“He brings that play-making ability that’s oftentimes game-changing,” Adame said.
Sharyland’s payoff in giving Landez more offensive opportunities has been two-fold. Not only do the Rattlers benefit in having another weapon to go with their quarterbacks, along with James Cole and Seth Carter, but they also bring along Landez on the defensive end.
“The biggest thing I’ve picked up this year, being that I’m primarily a defensive player, is I know what kind of coverage they’re going to play,” Landez said. “I see the play before it develops, what areas might open. So the experience on defense has helped me, as well.
“I know what to expect formation-wise. ‘They like to run different formations.’”
For the ways that he has helped Sharyland, Landez feels there’s still areas he needs to improve on, specifically catching interceptions. He made a huge catch last week that swung momentum, but he carries the sting of dropping two other pick-6s into Week 3.
“Personally, I just need to step up my game,” he said.
For all the talk about pacing and peaking, Landez is focused on going “100 percent everyday in practice.” Rest can wait.
“I just need to train my body the way I need it to be ready for the playoffs, not just district,” he said. “That’s what we train for here at school. We train for the playoffs. We get stronger because we know the guys are going to be better and we have to get bigger, faster, stronger.”