For what Steven Holt is being asked to do for the St. James High School football squad this season, he certainly looks the part.

The 6-1, 240-pound Holt plans to be very busy on the football field this season. He is being counted on to again be a bruising inside rushing presence in the Tigers’ flexbone-style offensive attack, like he was last year when he was a 1,000-yard rusher. And on defense he is supposed to be The Man on the inside of the Tiger unit, taking the place of a now-graduated all-stater.

And he’s up for the challenge.

“I’m ready,” Holt said. “I’m feeling good. I thought all of the off-season and the first week of practice went great. And the Branson Camp and the 7-on-7 league went well. I’m looking for this season to be as good as, or a lot better, than last year. And I think maybe we can go deeper in the playoffs.”

Over the last couple of seasons Holt has had position changes on both sides of the ball, and he’s been more than happy with that.

After Holt played as a tight end in the Tiger offensive attack as a sophomore, he was excited to find out he would be a running back as a junior in 2025. And it proved to be a very smart move. Holt was one of the most productive running backs in the area, finishing with 1,005 rushing yards on 163 attempts (6.2 yards-per-carry) and eight touchdowns.

“I kind of surprised myself,” he said of last season’s rushing success. “I had been used as a tight end as a sophomore. I didn’t play (running back) then, but from the third grade up I was always a running back. I think this year will be a better year. Strength-wise I’ve gotten better and am just as fast as I was before.”

And he likes plowing up the middle trying to pick up the tough yardage now.

“When I was younger I liked being on the outside more,” Holt said. “But now I’m a lot bigger; running on the inside is a lot more enjoyable.”

Defensively Holt served as an outside linebacker entering his senior campaign. However, this season the Tigers are changing their base defense to an odd-man front, and Holt will be moving from outside linebacker to inside linebacker. He feels that change will better play to his strengths.

“A lot of times last year at outside linebacker I couldn’t get to both sides of the field,” he said. “I feel like I can now on the inside. I’ve went to a lot of those prospect camps, and they all like me on the inside. The big thing is at outside linebacker you’ve got to drop into pass coverage. I’m more of an inside guy, stopping the run, key my reads and hit hard.”

With the move inside, St. James head coach Dusty Craft feels Holt will be able to help ease the loss to graduation of all-state inside linebacker Zane Achterberg, the heart of the St. James defense in recent years who led the team in tackles the previous three seasons.

“He’s one of our most experienced guys - on the defensive side especially,” Craft said of Holt. “On offense he moved from tight end to running back last year and thrived. And he’ll be our guy (on defense). Growing up with the kids his age he always had that role, and it’s a role he embraces. He puts in the time and effort.”

Holt hopes a big senior season for the Tigers and himself will help him meet his goal of becoming a collegiate football player.

“That’s the goal right now,” he said. “I’m talking to Central Methodist, William Woods and a couple of other schools.”

And if he does play at the next level it will most likely be on defense.

“At the college level they like me defensively,” Holt said. “And that’s all good with me.”