2024 Interview with Gabe McNeil from Valley High School Lucasville, Ohio


 

Gabe McNeil

Valley High School

RB, LB, S, WR

2026

What makes playing high school football for Lucasville Valley special?

Valley just has an amazing culture right now, and everyone wants to put in work in the off-season. The coaching staff is just phenomenal, and the kids are just bought in and dedicated to the program, which is amazing.

What is the hardest part of being a student athlete in high school?

I would say the hardest part about being a student athlete is trying to find a good balance between how much work you put in academically and athletically to get the best results of both.
                                                                                             
What were your goals heading into the 2023 season, and were you able to achieve those goals?

My goals heading into the 2023 season were to really just do the best I could on my team because I didn’t know what expectations could be since we had to replace a very heavy senior class. I just wanted to be a player who became reliable and dependable overall.
                                                                                                     
In a season that has seen you rush for over 1,000 yards, have over 70 tackles, and net close to 400 yards receiving, what do you feel were the highs and lows of your season?

In my season, I felt like the lows happened in the beginning 3 weeks due to adjusting to a whole new roster to play with and just figuring things out with the young kids we had. The highs definitely came at the end of the season when, in the last 3 regular season games, I averaged a little under 200 yards a game, broke two school records, and tied another.
                                                                                                     
In watching some of your Hudl highlights, you look to have enough speed to break off a nice run with more power than it looks like you should have. What type of running back do you see yourself as?

I like to see myself as more elusive and break away, running back. 
                                                                                            
Which side of the ball do you feel you are the best at?

I feel like I’m better on offense than defense.
                                                                                           
Which position, running back or linebacker, is the hardest for you to prepare for? Explain

I think that preparing for being a running back is the hardest part to prepare for because I know I’m going to have to take hard hits and act like nothing happened. I’ve been hit so hard that my whole world was spinning, but I had to act like nothing happened, and that’s just hard to prepare for.
                                                                                               

Who has been the best player you have ever faced in a game, along with the team he played for?

I would say the best player I’ve ever played against was Jeffrey Bishop from West Portsmouth.
                                                                                              
What do you feel you need to improve on the most to be a better player this season?

I feel like I need to improve my weight and physicality to become a better player this season.
                                                                                              
What have you been doing during the off-season to aid you in becoming a better player?

I have been attending 5:30 speed and agility workouts, but I haven’t been able to do as much as I like because I’ve been struggling with patellar tendinitis, but I’ve pushed through that quite a few times.
                                                                                                   
Do you prefer to play on grass or turf?

I prefer to play on turf.
 

Where should the state finals be held?

I would have to say at the Bengals field or Ohio State field.
                                                                                               

What is one food you refuse to eat?

I absolutely refuse to eat any kind of pepper or jalapeño. I think they’re nasty.
                                                                                              
What scares you?

I’m always scared of not living to my full potential and not working hard enough.
                                                                                                
What is your favorite genre of music, along with your favorite current song and artist?

As of right now, my favorite genre of music is rap, and I’d say my favorite song is Solo by Future, and my favorite artist is Lil Uzi Vert.

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