Baxter’s Heer selects Loras College football

Baxter senior Rory Heer was one of the Bolts’ best football players for four seasons. He was electric with the ball in his hands.

But it almost never happened.

“He didn’t play middle school football,” Baxter football coach Rob Luther said. “I told Dad I saw a college football player in him in middle school. He was aggressive in other sports and physical and it just fits into what it takes.”

It turns out, Luther knew what he was talking about. And Heer made his collegiate decision official recently. He will play running back or wide receiver for Loras College.

“It felt like home. Good feel and good vibe. I felt the most comfortable there,” Heer said.

Half of the schools in the American Rivers Conference wanted Heer. He chose Loras over Central College and also had interest from Simpson College, Luther College and Wartburg College.

The location of Loras was a big factor in Heer’s decision.

“The biggest factor was Dubuque. I love the atmosphere. It’s one of the oldest schools so they have strong roots for their business program,” Heer said. “I also like that it’s close to Illinois and Wisconsin. Lots of opportunities for internships.”

Heer is a four-sport athlete who impacted the Bolts’ football, basketball, track and field and baseball programs at a young age.

He will start his collegiate career on the gridiron but running track is still an option if he wants it.

“I will focus on football and see what happens in the first semester,” Heer said.

After not playing football in junior high, Heer joined the Bolts’ high school program as a freshman and finished with 895 rushing yards, 413 receiving yards and 17 total touchdowns. He averaged 7.2 yards per carry, hauled in 37 catches and added 39 tackles and three interceptions on defense.

“We finally got him out. He got beat up as a freshman, but I knew there were brighter days ahead,” Luther said. “He was electric in the 8-man game and put up great numbers for us.”

Brighter days would be ahead for Heer and the Bolts. Baxter finished 3-6 in 2018 but improved to 5-5 in 2019.

As a sophomore, Heer rushed for 601 yards and nine scores and grabbed 56 catches for 742 yards and nine TDs. He averaged 13.3 yards per catch and 6.9 yards per carry. Heer returned a kickoff for a TD and registered 38 tackles and one pick on defense.

“He did a lot of things for us. We wanted to get him in space,” Luther said. “But he could play safety or corner, too. They will likely take the first year to figure out where he fits and they could just find a place to put him on the field.”

The Bolts were 4-5 in 2020 despite Heer’s best statistical season. He finished with 1,229 rushing yards and 16 TDs and had 46 catches for 529 yards and eight scores.

He averaged eight yards per carry and 35 yards per kickoff return and compiled 77 1/2 tackles on defense.

Baxter had its best roster in Heer’s four seasons this past fall. Heer’s numbers took a dip, but the Bolts finished 7-2 as a team.

Heer rushed for 717 yards and 12 scores and added 27 catches for 436 yards and six TDs. He averaged 9.4 yards per carry and 16 yards per catch.

He also averaged 31 yards per kickoff return and took two to paydirt. Defensively, Heer registered 36 tackles and two sacks.

The Baxter senior said Loras will start him out playing both positions, but Heer thinks he will primarily play wide receiver.

“It’s an either or situation,” Heer said. “I think getting the ball on jet sweeps and stuff like that are options, too.

“At camp and the first couple of practices, everyone starts fresh and they look at everyone the same. They told me they give everyone an equal chance to play.”

Luther has no idea where Loras will use Heer, but he expects his prolific tailback to be a really good NCAA D-3 player.

“I don’t know what he will do at the next level, but he could be a really good slot, jet-motion guy,” Luther said. “It’s exciting for him.”

Heer shared his signing day ceremony with fellow Baxter senior Elie Tuhn, who will run at Simpson College. They were Homecoming King and Queen and the gym was full of supportive friends and high school teammates.

“Kids gravitate to both of them,” Luther said. “It was awesome seeing that many people here.”

Heer plans to major in business at Loras. He hopes to own a small business someday.

“I feel like it’d be cool to be your own boss and run your own business,” Heer said.

Heer named Wendy’s High School Heisman

One Iowa prep football player is named the Wendy’s High School Heisman.

That player in 2022 was Baxter senior Rory Heer.

“Every school has a nomination,” Luther said. “Out of the blue we got an email saying he was one of eight finalists and that’s the furthest anyone from here has ever gotten.

“We were told a week later that he won it. He was the Heisman in Iowa. Then he went against 4-5 other states and one of them got to go to actual Heisman in New York.”

Luther said there was a scholarship involved with the Wendy’s High School Heisman and Heer also earned a top scholarship from the Iowa Football Coaches Association. Heer was one of 38 from the state to earn the Marty Roling scholarship.

“I think in 30 some years of coaching high school sports, I don’t know that there’s a kid I will remember more than Rory Heer because of how hard he works, how coachable he was and how he gravitated kids to him to keep the program moving forward. When your leaders are the first ones there and the last to leave and they take all the negative on their shoulders, you have something special. He’s a truly special kid. He was our governor scholarship award winner, too.”