As senior Cal Thrush prepares for his last season as a golden bear, the six-foot-5-inch lineman is getting ready to take his talents to the next level at Michigan State. He discussed why he chose MSU.
“The new head coach and their facilities are nice, it just seemed like the fit for me,” Thrush said.
Growing up, Cal was a three-sport athlete, playing basketball, baseball and football. Being a three-sport athlete in high school is a challenge juggling grades and sports at UAHS takes a lot of focus which pushed him to make football his only sport. Cal has played football his whole life but mentioned one moment as his favorite.
“Freshman year, getting called up for the playoffs and watching Carson Greysock run all over everybody, and watching that team go to the Final Four, it was something special,” Thrush said.
In football, the coach can make or break the players. Upper Arlington football has been on a steady climb ever since coach Justin Buttermore was named head coach in 2020, and he seems to be a player favorite coach, which Thrush made adamant.
“Coach Buttermore for sure, he’s the smartest guy I know,” Thrush said.
In Upper Arlington football, most kids start tackle football in third or fourth grade and for some players, those are their fondest memories of football. For Thrush however, when asked about his favorite level of football and a vivid moment, he reminisced about the impressive upset the Bears pulled off last year.
“High school football, and when we beat Gahanna last year in the regional finals, everyone stormed the field,” Thrush responded.
He’s a beast on the field but obviously, that’s not the only thing he spends his time on and he mentioned a few things he enjoys off the field.
“I golf all the time, shoot mid-80s and it’s something that I enjoy doing especially with friends, I also can solve a Rubix cube,” Thrush said.
Every golfer has their favorite course. It may be the one they golf at most or one that feels like a special occasion to play at. Thrush talked about his favorite course and the reason why it’s his favorite.
“Darby Creek Golf Course is my favorite, lots of good memories there,” Thrush said.
As an athlete watching college or pro sports it’s easy to gravitate towards one player and try to emulate them in your play. Thrush mentioned one big name that all Ohio state fans remember.
“I like Chase Young, I watch his college highlights before every game,” Thrush said.
He wears the number 97 on the field, a memorable number for all Ohio State Buckeye fans. He then mentioned the reason for his number.
“Because of Joey and Nick Bosa for sure,” he said.
For some athletes, the pre-game song is a sacred sort of ritual that gets them completely focused and ready for the game. `
“Zach Bryan for sure his music just calms me down pre-game,” Thrush said.
Cal has high hopes for his future in football and is excited to see how far the Golden Bears can go this season.
