KALISPELL — One of college football’s grittiest-looking players comes from the Flathead Valley in Kalispell.
Jake Rendina, a product of Glacier High School and a starting fullback for Army West Point, has made the most out of his time with the Black Knights.
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Now in his senior year, in an era when fullbacks seem hard to come by, Rendina has been dubbed by some online as “the most fullback looking fullback,” a title Rendina wears as a badge of honor and credits to those who came before him.
“I like my beverages cold, my burgers with cheese on them, for sure,” Rendina told MTN Sports during a virtual interview. “So it's awesome to have the heritage of the fullback.
“I love the position that I'm in and the job that I get to do and the lineage that I get to carry on throughout football. I'm grateful for everybody who loves what I do. I really do appreciate it.”
Whether he’s being praised online or cheered on by the fans at West Point, Rendina credits his success to the hard work he has put in with his teammates and coaches at Army.
“Me as a player, man, I'm always excited and very grateful for whatever playing time I get and this brotherhood that I play for,” Rendina said. “It's a beautiful thing and the guys we have here, we all really love each other, we play for each other, and it's just a really awesome thing to be a part of.”
However, before Rendina became the starting fullback for the Black Knights, he was learning to play football in northwest Montana with the Glacier Wolfpack.
He said growing up in Montana prepared him for the many challenges he would face on the football field and his life at West Point.
“Being from a state that showed me that hard work can get you anything you want in this world, it really helped me as I came here,” Rendina said. “Because here, you've got to work hard for this team and for this brotherhood to be able to play on Saturdays.
“It's all about just having that grit, that brotherhood mentality, and it carried over from my high school and here in this program.”
After Rendina finishes at West Point, he plans to attend Ranger School in hopes of one day leading his own platoon.
He said he wants to take all of the lessons he has learned at West Point and Montana to serve his country.
“I'm super excited to be able to lead soldiers and the sons and daughters of this nation and win and fight our nation's wars,” Rendina said. “I'm just totally electric about going and serving and doing my time.”
