He went from home school to Wake Christian. Is football at Princeton or Air Force next?

Wake Christian Academy’s Jordan Bass, the 6-3, 285-pound senior lineman, grew up as the biggest kid in the neighborhood and on his youth sports teams.

At Wake Christian, he’s a second-year team captain and a campus leader as a top student. Although the third-year, two-way starter plays at a small school, he had eight scholarship offers from colleges like Princeton and the Air Force Academy.

Despite those credentials, it wasn’t until Bass enrolled at Wake Christian as a sophomore that he became known.

Bass was home-schooled from fourth grade through ninth grade, and learned from his father, Alex, an assistant football coach at Wake Christian.

“But at home I was only the assistant principal,” Alex Bass said. “His mother (Telicia) was the principal.”

Alex Bass spent his college days at Edinboro University in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he was a 6-3, 290-pound defensive tackle.

Father and son and the rest of the Bulldogs open their season against Ravenscroft Friday at 7 p.m., after a delay due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’re definitely excited to be playing a game,” Jordan Bass said. “It’s been weird with all the protocols, and it was frustrating not knowing if we were going to be able to play. Our goal was to stay focused, stay together and be ready to play. We want to represent our school.”

Public high school or private?

In addition to Princeton and Air Force, Bass has scholarship offers from Campbell, N.C. Central, Lehigh, Gardner-Webb, Bryant and Georgetown.

“He would have more offers by now, but with COVID, he wasn’t able to go to summer camps for the exposure,” head coach Beau Barger said. “He does everything we expect of him. He’s plays hard on the field, and he’s a gentleman leader off it.”

Jordan Bass and his father have said they’ve heard that playing at larger public high school might attract more college interest, but they’re comfortable with a smaller program. The Bass’ plan was to enroll Jordan at a high school in 10th grade, but at the time Jordan Bass’ parents were concerned with “overcrowding” at Fuquay-Varina High, his base school. Fuquay-Varina’s second high school, Willow Springs, opens in August, 2021.

“One of the advantages of a small school is we’re like a family environment,” Jordan said. “You know everybody in the locker room and the coaches care about you.”

The Bulldogs this season

The Bulldogs are coming off a 5-6 season with a 1-3 conference record in the Big East Independent. Barger, a second-year head coach at his alma mater who played quarterback at Lenoir-Ryhne, has 15 returning lettermen and six returning starters on each side of the ball.

Bass and senior Kendall Hines (5-11, 278 pounds) provide bulk up front while the Bulldogs develop a new quarterback directing a “no huddle” offense. When returning starter Angelo Denato moved to South Carolina, Barger had to develop sophomore Anthony Greene and freshman Ross Burnette around COVID-19 practice limitations.

Barger likes his skill with two senior receivers, Elijah Veale and Caysey Colant. Veale (6-2, 180) and Colant (5-8, 150) also play defensive back.

“We’ve had to revamp our offense and could use more time,” Barger said. “But we have some seniors and juniors that played a lot last year.”