BK's McCarthy a student of football

When Cody McCarthy was in elementary school in Orofino, he would ride the bus after school to the high school, where his father, Joe, was a defensive coordinator for the Maniacs' football team.

McCarthy would sit on the sidelines with his stack of homework and work furiously until it was done. Once the homework was completed, and approved by his dad, McCarthy was allowed to practice with the high school players.

"Orofino was pretty small and we needed bodies just to stand out there," Joe said. "So even though he was only 4-feet tall, we'd put him back as a safety or something."

Now a junior in high school, McCarthy is a star linebacker and fullback at Bishop Kelly High, which hosts Blackfoot (8-1) in the first round of the 4A state playoffs at 7 p.m. Friday at Nick Ysursa Field.

With Joe serving as the Knights' defensive coordinator, it's hard to find a time when the McCarthy family isn't talking about football, even at the dinner table.

"I love football and I wouldn't be able to be in that household with these two if I didn't have a love and a knowledge for the game," said mom, Shellie McCarthy. "They definitely love it. It's a really awesome opportunity that they have been given."

McCarthy, who started learning proper technique from his dad while in the first grade, leads the Knights with 85 unassisted tackles, 47 assisted tackles, eight quarterback hurries, five sacks, four forced fumbles, two interceptions and one fumble recovery.

As a fullback, McCarthy has cleared the way for running backs Matt Sato and Nik Buich to run for a combined 1,692 yards and 15 touchdowns.

"He's been real pivotal on both sides of the ball," Bishop Kelly coach Lee Leslie said. "I nicknamed him 'The Freak' because he's a coach's dream when it comes to a football player. He's always football. Sometimes that may go overboard when it's not football season, but that's Cody."

McCarthy's success on the field comes down to a combination of self-determination and good genes.

Joe was a linebacker for Boise State during the 1986 and 1987 seasons and Shellie ran the 400 and 800 meters for the Broncos' track team.

Two of his uncles played college basketball - one at Boise State and the other at Lewis-Clark State - and his aunt won two national titles in volleyball at the College of Southern Idaho and then played two years at Washington State.

McCarthy has started at linebacker since his freshman year. His physical style has not gone unnoticed - fans even comment about it in the stands, Shellie said.

At a Nike training camp in Eugene, Ore., over the summer, the 6-foot-1, 220-pound McCarthy was named the linebacker of the camp. He's receiving letters of interest from at least a dozen colleges - Colorado, Boise State, Utah, Idaho, Washington, UCLA and Texas Tech, to name a few - and he has yet to peak.

"I've gone off the mentality that there's always someone better than you out there," he said. "That's my goal, to be that person, just strive and always aim for that person."

Though he's aware that his abilities on the field tend to stand out, McCarthy is glad to be surrounded by talented teammates.

"Defense is all about the desire and heart to stop the opponent and get your offense the ball again," McCarthy said. "Just having that fire has been big for us."

Junior linebacker Hunter Griffith leads the 4A SIC with 12 sacks and junior defensive back Nate Lothrop has a league-best seven interceptions for a Bishop Kelly team that has four shutouts in nine games.

"I play in a defense where I am fortunate enough to make a lot of tackles and playing the linebacker position, that's just the natural thing," McCarthy said. "I'd be nothing without my defensive line and my other linebackers and my secondary. It's not just about me. It's a team game."

Rachel Roberts: 377-6422