Suburban Life Player of the Year: Kaden Cobb overcame injury scare to command Fenwick’s run to state title

Kaden Cobb questioned many aspects of his game and future during a tumultuous nearly six-month period of his life.

These days, the Fenwick senior quarterback is riding high after the euphoria of leading the Friars to their first state championship in program history. Cobb, a dual threat, tossed three touchdowns and rushed for a TD in a 34-15 win over Kankakee in the Class 5A state title game Nov. 27.

Led by the 6-foot-2, 190-pound Cobb, the Friars (12-2) exorcised the demons from a controversial Class 7A semifinal overtime loss to Plainfield North in 2016 and added another championship to the school’s growing trophy case.

In the summer, Cobb secured his future by committing to Ball State. Since injuring his shoulder in early April, Cobb was filled with doubt over his playing future and health.

“The (championship) didn’t come easy,” Cobb said. “There was a lot of pain during the week and dealing with practices in the cold, being tired and still having to get your homework done. That’s not talked enough. It just shows in those Friday or Saturday games.

“But it hasn’t been easy for me. When I separated the ligament in my collarbone to my back in my throwing shoulder, I wasn’t ready to quit. It was completely torn, so I knew it wasn’t good and a lot of dudes don’t ever fully recover. I wasn’t committed to a college at that point. I was still trying to figure where to land, so it’s crazy to look back and see how things worked out. I just stayed true to my game, but I had a lot of dark days.”

Those tough days helped shape Cobb into a hardened player capable of handling any type of adversity on the field. Suddenly for Cobb, little things, such as pain, weather conditions or insurmountable deficits, seemed not to bother him. He trusted his elite talents and teammates to ride a memorable wave that culminated with a state championship in DeKalb.

“It still hasn’t sunk in yet,” Cobb said. “I walk around the school just imagining the banners being up. We will be the first ones with our names up with a state championship. We all worked so hard for it. It feels so good to end our senior season making history.”

Cobb had his fingerprints all over Fenwick’s run to the state title, completing 206 of 320 passes for 2,846 yards and 30 touchdowns and rushing for 520 yards and nine TDs.

Cobb, the fall 2021 Suburban Life Football Player of the Year, credited his injury for helping push him to reach another level in his game.

“At the time, everything was going so well,” Cobb said. “I was talking to all types of schools, a lot of big-time schools. I was bound to have a great junior year. I had never before really been hurt. I was wondering which schools would stick by me. That’s when Ball State came into the mix. In the end, it all worked out great. I don’t have any complaints.”

Cobb said he felt fully recovered – mentally and physically – during a Week 3 loss to Providence. He took several big hits and delivered a few of his own, the first real test on his shoulder.

“I knew I was ready to go after that third game, and that I was good for the rest of the season,” Cobb said.

Fenwick senior center Jimmy Liston, a Purdue recruit, said Cobb is a natural born leader who battled back from a serious injury to be an inspiration for his teammates.

“Kaden overcame his injury by working hard every day,” Liston said. “I don’t know many people that work as hard as him, if not harder. He used his injury as motivation to come back.”

Fenwick coach Matt Battaglia, a former Northern Illinois offensive lineman, said Cobb possesses all the tools of a great quarterback, but added another layer by developing his leadership after his injury.

“Kaden never showed his frustration in the spring or summer,” Battaglia said. “He was very tough. He never wavered in his support for his teammates. He’s always been a great leader, but he took it to the next level this year. He was the field general commander of the team. He had an incredible run in the playoffs. He had great back-to-back games against Nazareth and Sycamore. He was efficient and big against some really good defenses.”

Cobb said he’s set to be an early enrollee at Ball State in January. He credited former Fenwick quarterback Jacob Keller for helping him throughout his career, and his teammates and coaches for supporting him during a difficult time in the spring and summer.

“Getting that (state) win was definitely huge,” Cobb said. “Being the first in history means everything. We received so much support, and definitely had a lot of alumni on our side. It wasn’t easy, just dealing with everything, even my injury. But we all stuck together as a team, and we made history.”