—Submitted photo Cal Twait (center) stands with his grandmother Margaret and grandfather Duane in Cedar Falls.

Jeff Anliker didn’t know what he had at first when Cal Twait stepped on the football field, but it didn’t take long for the former Manson Northwest Webster head coach to find out.

When Twait, a four-year starter at Northern Iowa first stepped onto the Cougar football field, it was as the younger brother of Kyle Twait.

“The first impression was tough,” Anliker said. “He had all the brains for the game, but he hadn’t caught up with his body. We started playing him at fullback then the next year at tight end. After his sophomore year we moved him to the offensive line. I had Kyle before him and compared him to Kyle as a high school athlete.

“He lacked a lot of athletic ability as a ninth and 10th grader, but I just knew there was something special.”

Anliker would soon find out what Twait was capable of in his junior year.

“He was dominate as a junior and senior,” Anliker said. “He had all the physical skills as a senior, he had the drive to be great and he had grown up around college football and knew what was expected.

“I had no doubt he would be one of the greatest to come out of Manson Northwest Webster and is one of the best I was fortunate to coach.”

Now with the COVID-19 pandemic canceling all sporting events, Twait a 2015 MNW graduate, must play the wait and see game as he tries to clear a path to the NFL.

“I did receive six reference letters from teams about him,” Anliker said. “He has all the qualities as far as work ethic, desire, passion and knowledge for the game.”

Twait, who had ankle and shoulder surgery following his senior season with the Panthers was unable to attend any pro days in 2019, but that didn’t stop teams from showing interest as he received some mini camp invites.

“Getting drafted will be a long shot,” Anliker said. “But signing as a free agent and making a team would not be a surprise to me or anyone that has known and coached him.”