Greencastle's Stephens hungry for junior campaign

For the last two years, Greencastle quarterback Cole Stephens has made a name for himself across West Central Indiana. 

Now, the junior wants his name known across Indiana and beyond, and is set to do just that with the Tiger Cubs when the 2025 season begins in August. 

"What motivates me is that we, as a team, had inconsistent performances last year. Being a team captain and a highly touted player, I take responsibility. I am motivated to make sure that every week we are maximizing our team's potential," Stephens told The Putnam County
A season ago, Stephens overcame a shaky regular season to help lift Greencastle to a sectional championship appearance, as the Tiger Cubs lost a thriller to Linton-Stockton. Despite a setback, Stephens said that is when everything really started to click for him.

"My dad has told me at some point the game would slow down for me and I could really feel that in last year's playoff run. I feel in complete control of our offense and have seen enough defensive schemes that I have a plan for about anything that we could face schematically this season," Stephens admitted. 

And, he acknowledges he is also ready for the pressure he will face from opponents, including a tough Monon Athletic Conference that features the likes of Southmont, Western Boone, Cascade and North Putnam, among others. 

"I enjoy the pressure. Football is fun for me. I am extremely excited about this upcoming year. We have some good returning players and some guys who are going to be big contributors for us that people may not know yet. I am looking forward to our new conference and seeing how different defensive coordinators try and play us from a scheme standpoint," Stephens said. 

He has attacked the offseason, putting on 30 pounds and having a successful 7 on 7 campaign with MSP. In addition, Stephens has seen his recruiting start to hit a stride, as he is set to camp at Michigan, Purdue, Indiana, Northwestern, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Alabama this summer. Despite those camps, Stephens notes he is focused on the upcoming season and leading the Tiger Cubs to greatness.

"We want to win every game that we play. In order to do that, I have to be a great teammate and leader. I am excited to play in the new conference. I have never played against most of these teams, so seeing new competition is always exciting," Stephens said.