MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Months after leading Huntington to their first state football championship, Gavin Lochow made as smooth of a transition to the college level as possible despite learning a new position.
As a senior for the Highlanders in the 2022 season, Lochow won the J.R. House Award as West Virginia’s top high school quarterback. He passed for 2,192 yards with 35 touchdowns and he rushed for 1,132 yards with 16 scores. Huntington won their final 13 games of the season to win the Class AAA title.
Lochow signed with the University of Dayton and he stepped into the starting lineup in his first game as a freshman while making the move to wide receiver. He has been a fixture for the Flyers ever since.
“Obviously, I had big goals and dreams. But I think I just took it one day at a time and never tried to think too big picture. Honestly, it helps when you have my coaches believing in me and my teammates believing in me,” Lochow said on the MetroNews High School Sportsline. “I think when someone believes in you, you can accomplish anything. I really don’t think it was too much of what I did. I think it was just the people that gave me the opportunity. They saw something in me and I just took it and ran.”
In his freshman season, Lochow led the Flyers with 35 catches and five touchdown receptions. Lochow says his prior experience at quarterback helped his transition to being on the receiving end of passes.
“Once I could get the ball in my hands, it was just football and I would be alright.
“I think it still helps me today. When I talk to my quarterback and he sees certain things, I know exactly what he is talking about. I just want to try to get on the same page as him and make it easier for him to let him do his job.”
Lochow reeled in 65 passes as a sophomore for 536 yards and five scores. As a junior, Lochow had 61 catches for 731 yards and eight touchdowns.
Two weeks ago in a 30-22 loss to Drake, Lochow became Dayton’s all-time receptions leader. He stands at 186 receptions at the midway point of his senior season.
“It felt better at practice getting the recognition because we lost the game.
“Yes, it is my record but so many other guys have had a huge impact in that. I think I have had six or seven quarterbacks that have thrown me balls. I have had 40 to 45 linemen blocking for me. I have had all these other receivers get me open. I have had the same offensive coordinator calling the plays.”
Lochow is 447 yards away from becoming Dayton’s career leader in receiving yardage. Six games remain in Dayton’s regular season.
In his four seasons, Lochow has also returned 41 kickoffs, attempted 18 passes and rushed the ball 107 times. Dayton’s offensive coordinator Greg Whalen has schemed up various ways to get Lochow involved from multiple spots on offense.
“[Whalen] does a great job of putting me in places with whatever he thinks is going to work. I don’t really say much. He just hands me a sheet with drawings or talks about the plays with me. I just go out there, do what he says and it works out.”
Lochow embraces the opportunity to compete at the Division I level close enough to home where family members can make an easy trip into town on game days.
“My siblings and my parents are just my biggest supporters. Every weekend, yeah I look forward to the game, but they come and bring me some food on Friday nights and we hang out and talk. My dad [Steve] gets me turkey every Friday night. I look forward to that. Seeing my family on the weekends, I love playing football, but that is the best part. Football can bring us together and that’s what it is all about. I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”
Dayton is off to a 4-1 start heading into Saturday’s game at Butler. One of the Flyers’ preseason goals mirrors an annual goal at Huntington, winning the conference championship, the Pioneer Football League.
“We used it say it at Huntington High, which is crazy, before we won the state championship that year, we were talking about being 1-0 each week. That has stuck with me and I think that is one of the greatest things I have ever been a part of. And then I get here to Dayton and they are preaching the same thing.”