Lincoln-Way Central senior Matt Pollack is equal parts Road Runner and Mack truck on the football field.

When the 6-foot, 180-pound receiver/running back reaches the open field, his next stop likely is the end zone.

Few defenders can match Pollack’s 4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

When a tough yard or two is needed to get a first down, Pollack possesses the power to move the pile and keep the drive moving.

No one knows that better than Peyton Nigro, his Lincoln-Way Central teammate. As a returning starter in the Knights’ secondary, Nigro has had to compete against Pollack in practice.

“Matt is one of the best athletes I’ve gone up against in my life,” Nigro said. “When he turns it on, he can blow past you. He has the capability to catch anything the quarterback throws. He can also take a hit. He’s the total package.”

The numbers support Nigro’s praise. Pollack had 968 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns, and rushed for 512 yards and four TDs while earning team MVP honors last season.

The numbers, however, don’t tell the whole story, according to Lincoln-Way Central coach Jeremy Cordell.

“Matt competes for the ball when in the air and is a tough runner in the ground game,” Cordell said. “He works equally hard when touching the ball or away from the ball. His willingness to compete and do whatever is needed for the team makes him a special player.”

Cordell understands that players with Pollack’s skill set don’t come around very often. That’s why Knights fans can expect to see Pollack getting the football more often in 2017.

That strategy better positions Central (7-4) for success in 2017.

Pollack is ready for the increased workload.

“I’m going to do everything asked of me,” he said. “I’m not going to get the ball every play. We have a lot of talented guys coming back. But I have to make sure my teammates can do their job to the best of their ability. That means me blocking. I also have to be more of a leader this year as a senior.”

Pollack is receiving considerable interest from colleges, though he has yet to receive a scholarship offer.

A little more game film is required to convince the bigger programs to make an offer.

“I wasn’t always fast,” Pollack said. “I hit the weight room hard my freshman and sophomore year. I did a lot of conditioning with my legs. My sophomore year is when I picked up more speed.”

“Going up against him in practice makes our defense better,” Nigro said. “It doesn’t matter if he’s catching the ball or running with it. It’s a challenge.”

pdisabato@tribpub.com

Twitter @disabato