McFadden has proven the doubters wrong and is a player ONU won't soon forget

By Bud Denega 

ADA — Anthony McFadden heard the criticism. It was hard to avoid it. He even felt some self-doubt. 

But amid the cloud of uncertainty one thing remained constant — McFadden loved football, and his small frame wasn't going to halt his pursuit of collegiate football. Now, that undersized quarterback is one that will be talked about at Ohio Northern for years to come. 

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McFadden grew up doing just about everything on his family's expansive piece of property southeast of Chillicothe. He'd spend hours hunting, four-wheeling, and playing multiple sports alongside his athletic and uber-competitive family. 

McFadden's calendar quickly formed around three sports — football in the fall, basketball in the winter and baseball come springtime. He balanced all three into his high school years, before it came time to choose which one he wanted to pursue at perhaps the next level.

The choice from people around McFadden, who had seen him compete believed the answer was quite clear. They saw the arm talent, and thought the Paint Valley High School product would choose baseball.

But that's not what McFadden wanted.  

"I loved football," McFadden said. "I started in second grade when I was a ball boy. Football had been around my entire life. My grandpa and uncle both played at Ohio Northern for a couple years, so it's just something I grew up around. I just love football. There's nothing like it."

Many people can enjoy football, but not many — especially ones who are under 6-foot and well below 200 pounds — can play it at a high level, and McFadden had plenty of doubters. 

"I graduated at 5-11, 180 pounds. I was basically a twig," McFadden said. "So I was telling myself, 'There's no way I'd make it in college.' I also had other people saying, 'Oh, you should definitely go baseball. Your talent on the baseball field is well above your football talents.'"

In time, McFadden found some self-belief and began going to more football camps in an effort to prove the doubters, and to some degree himself, wrong. He got his name out there, Ohio Northern contacted him, and seeing as both his parents were Polar Bears at one time, the choice was simple. 

"Coming to ONU for a visit, there was something about it that I loved," McFadden said.

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McFadden went to a small high school. He graduated with just 64 classmates. 

And in that small-school setting, sports played an integral role at Paint Valley and the surrounding area. McFadden's talent had him enjoying high praise and high success throughout his four years as a Bearcat. 

Upon coming to ONU, McFadden was no longer the starter. The depth chart — which he had always resided at the top of during his high school days — now featured many names ahead of McFadden's.

"It's easy to get frustrated after you've playing all the time in high school in every sport and now you're not. It's easy to place blame or just get negative," ONU head coach Dean Paul said. "Anthony didn't show that. He just worked."

McFadden accepted his role as a freshman as the junior varsity quarterback. He did the necessary work day in and day out to improve. 

The play as a freshman warranted not just a varsity spot but also playing time as a sophomore. Paul and his coaching staff developed a package of plays that McFadden would run occasionally during games. 

McFadden operated a kind-of wildcat formation and the first time he ever checked into a varsity football game in the orange and black, he scored. McFadden ran a read-option, kept the ball and scampered in from 10 yards out. 

Paul continued giving McFadden more and more opportunities and before season's end, he was the starter. 

McFadden battled some injuries as a junior, but other than that has enjoyed memorable career in Ada. He has passed for over 4,000 yards, rushed for more than 800 and scored a combined 55 touchdowns en route to multiple Ohio Athletic Conference honors.

But McFadden's impact at ONU goes beyond the playing field. As a pharmacist, McFadden rarely has down time, and his commitment to academics has garnered him Academic All-OAC honors, as well.

"He's a class guy, has a class family, and he has excelled at a very high level," Paul said.

"He'll be a great example to others about how it didn't happen overnight. He'll be one that we'll be telling his story quite awhile … People that work hard and do all the right things, it tends to work out for, and I think it has worked out for him."

At one time, McFadden didn't know if college football was even an option. Now, he'll be remembered for his college football story.