When dressed in red, J.P. Sullivan certainly stands out against the snow. Not that it helps the opposition keep him in check. North Central athletics photo by Steve Woltmann

By Joe Sager
D3sports.com

The plan on paper seems simple enough — contain No. 92.

Quickly, though, North Central’s opponents find out it’s not so easy.

That’s because No. 92 belongs to defensive lineman J.P. Sullivan — the most dominant defensive player in Division III. The senior, who garnered a plethora of national awards again this season, has helped the Cardinals reach their fifth straight Stagg Bowl.

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“He is the best defensive player I have coached in my time at North Central,” Cardinals defensive coordinator Shane Dierking said. “His ability to wreck games on all downs is unmatched. He is a force in the run game, while still doing his one-eleventh. In the pass rush, every offense has to set their protection to him. What that does for the rest of our defense is allows other guys to make their plays when the opportunities present themselves.

“Physically, he’s the strongest kid we’ve ever had. His fast twitch and ability to redirect, matched with that strength makes him a nightmare.”

It’s a nightmare the Cardinals (14-0) hope plays out again Sunday when they take on UW-River Falls (13-1) at Canton’s Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium. They hope to become the first back-to-back national champ since UW-Whitewater won two in a row (2013-14).

“It is definitely an awesome feeling to get back to where we are, especially for the seniors and our teammates,” Sullivan said. “Winning a couple championships is pretty good, but we always strive for the impossible. It’s unheard of winning back to back. We’ve been in this situation before. We know what to do. Our preparation will take us there.”

Sullivan will play a huge part for North Central’s defense, which ranks first in the nation in scoring defense (10.07 points per game), as it takes on the Falcons, who top the country in total offense (564.1 yards per game).

“It’s definitely going to be our best test of the year. We look forward to the opportunity to play against this team at this stage,” he said. “We’re very grateful to have our work cut out for us and it’s something we’ve been preparing for all year. The defense has done a fairly good job, so far. The best way we can put an exclamation on it is to win one more game.”

In a semifinal win over John Carroll, Sullivan had five tackles, including one for a loss, one pass breakup and a career-high five quarterback hurries.

“When you have a guy that can completely wreck the game, it makes you seem like you’re a lot better at your job than you really are,” Dierking said with a laugh. “There were some calls that should have been better calls and he goes and makes a tackle for a loss or a sack anyway. It’s quite the blessing to have him.”

The Cardinals know the Falcons will try to minimize his impact. It’s something they’ve handled all year by moving him around on the field to change his point of attack.

“We always want the offense we’re playing to wonder where he is going to be,” Dierking said. “It’s about putting him in an advantageous position to do what he does. When teams over game plan for him, that’s where the other guys are able to shine. You want to always put your best players in a spot to be around the football and that’s what we do with him.”

Sullivan doesn’t mind moving around on the line to make things happen, even if that means drawing extra attention so his teammates have increased opportunities.

“I definitely have respect for the coaches and the players — there are not many players that get that special treatment. It’s a privilege and an honor to be in the position I am,” he said. “I’ll do anything I can to free up my teammates so they can do their job so I can do my job.”

So, where might you find No. 92?

“It just depends on the flavor of the week and seeing the offensive scheme and what we think they’ll do,” Sullivan said. “I’ll move around on the inside depending on that. I’d say my favorite place is to attack from is the 2i from right inside of the guard. But, I feel like I can attack the offense anywhere on the line.”

That cat-and-mouse game is one of the things Sullivan likes most.  

“I love playing defense. Your work is cut out for you, especially going against great athletes,” he said. “You have to be able to build a mentality where you can handle adversity through the ups and downs and ride the wave and not ride the highs — just staying consistent.”

Entering the year, Sullivan wanted to enhance his game, but also become a leader.

“I wanted to leave a positive influence on all my teammates and help build them with the knowledge I have on the field and help them translate it to make themselves better,” he said.

Sullivan can check that off the list, according to Dierking.

“He’s a silent assassin. When he was a freshman or sophomore, you couldn’t get a word out of him. You love it because he’s a no-nonsense guy,” Dierking said. “He got elected a captain by his teammates because of his football talent. He leads by example and he’s a great kid off the field. Throughout the season, we’ve seen huge growth in him to be a leader who pulls kids off to the side and has impactful conversations with them to get the most out of his teammates. There’s been more growth there than even as a football player.”

Still, though, he keeps getting better on and off the field, too.

“His football IQ has grown throughout his time with us,” Dierking said. “He understands the other pieces around him now and that excites him. He understands there are times coaches are scheming for him and times he will get doubled and his teammates will make the plays. He understands that in the football classroom.”

As he approaches his last game at North Central, Sullivan appreciates the journey.

“It’s definitely been quite a ride,” he said. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else other than North Central. It has helped me develop into the man I am today. I’ve created relationships that will last my entire life. It’s not just about football, it’s about the people.”

Sullivan wants to continue his football career after Sunday. Once it ends, though, he’s thought about handcuffing criminals instead of offenses.

“I am going to see where football takes me to a next opportunity and see if I can ride that for as long as I can,” he said. “If it doesn’t work out, I’ll fall back on being a police officer or firefighter. My dad is a detective in the city of Chicago, so that’s something I have been around my whole life.”