Hobart’s Bryce Tolliver was just getting started last season.

Tolliver, who had an area-high seven interceptions as a sophomore, expressed his approach to this season in direct terms.

“I’m going to just dominate every single person across the line from me,” he said. “They’re not stopping me. I’m that confident in myself, and I’m ready, and I’m going to prove that. I’m just ready.”

That readiness applies not only to defense but also to offense and special teams, according to the 6-foot-1, 175-pound junior cornerback/wide receiver. Tolliver focused almost exclusively on defense last season, but he has prepared to vastly increase his role on offense.

“I’ve been working so hard this offseason,” he said. “I got my stamina right. I want to show how I am at wide receiver. I want to get my name out there for wide receiver.”

Tolliver, who had 23 tackles last season, already is well on his way to getting his name out there at cornerback.

“I was really good at reading routes,” he said. “I was a ball hawk at corner. The ball is in the air, that’s my ball.

“It’s just thinking, ‘You can do it.’ When you go out on the field, be a dawg, go crazy. Just dominate everybody in front of me.”

Tolliver believes he has put himself in position to raise his level even higher.

“I worked on my technique,” he said. “I’ve been improving on my craft a lot, my footwork, my speed.”

Tolliver is also a hurdler and sprinter, and he hopes to utilize that speed at receiver for the junior-laden Brickies (6-5), who gained valuable experience last season. They shared the Northwest Crossroads Conference title with Andrean and Hanover Central before losing in the Class 4A sectional semifinals to New Prairie.

Tolliver should be a major contributor as Hobart tries to get over the hump in Eric Schreiber Jr.’s second season.

“He’s extremely athletic,” Schreiber said. “He’s rangy. He’s just a really good kid. He’s really grown up a lot. He probably won’t come off the field much this year. We’re excited about what he can do on the field.”

Include junior quarterback Aleks Tatum in that group.

“Bryce is great,” Tatum said. “He gives me a great look on defense, but he’s also going to be one of our best receivers this year too. He plays both sides of the ball, so it’s a little love-hate relationship in practice. But Bryce is going to be a great guy. I’m excited to see what he’s going to do this year.”

Tolliver likes the way his connection with Tatum has been developing.

“It’s going to be great,” Tolliver said. “Me and Aleks are ready. We’re going to go crazy. Me and Aleks are starting to click. We’re building that chemistry.”

Tolliver has also been building a promising future. He has drawn interest from colleges such as Indiana, Kentucky, Northwestern and Purdue, as well as most of the Mid-American Conference.

“He’s gotten a lot of looks,” Schreiber said. “We’re expecting him to get a lot of offers. There’s a lot of potential to what he can pull.

“We’ll see what he can put on film this fall and really show what he can do for teams at the next level.”

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/08/12/football-hobart-bryce-tolliver/