The record may not be what the North Putnam football team would have wanted at the halfway point, but a huge bright spot in the season has been quarterback Christian Kramer. 

The class of '26 prospect is off to a strong start for the Cougars, who will bring a 1-4 record into tonight's clash with Cascade after leading North Putnam to a 48-0 win over Cloverdale last week. 

The success is nothing new for Kramer, who grew up around the game of football. 

"When I was younger, I was around the game all the time. My dad, Bucky Kramer, was a coach at Logansport and was often at the stadium. So I was constantly around the game and it just grew on me. Being around the players was great. You seem like a superstar as a kid around all of those guys," Kramer told The Putnam County Post. 

While he is experiencing success as a signal caller, it wasn't the position he originally played. 

"As a kid, I didn't originally play quarterback, but I was persistent. Every practice I asked coach if I could try quarterback, and, eventually, he gave in and it stuck. The thing I enjoy most about the position is the ability to use my knowledge and just be an athlete. Things are completely different with the ball in your hand and in the pocket. You see things coaches can't see and coaches see things you can't see. But the ability to be an athlete and make plays gives you a little slack if you don't see something right away," he admitted. 

On the season, Kramer has thrown for 933 yards and six touchdowns, while adding another 543 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. He ranks 11th for total yards in the Class of '26 and 11th for total yards in the state. 

In last week's win over Cloverdale, he was 18-of-27 for 270 yards and three touchdowns, rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown and rushed for a two point conversion. 

"My play style this year is definitely different from last year. Last year, I would have considered myself pro style, but this year, I am far from it. As the season continues, I am hoping to put up more numbers alongside my teammates and make a run when sectional comes around," Kramer said. 

One thing he has gotten better at is handling the pressure that comes with playing quarterback. 

"I definitely deal with a lot of pressure on a day to day basis. I am expected to outperform myself day in and day out, to do better than I did last season and to lead in everything I do. It's definitely not easy, but I pray about it and put it in God's hands. But if I am being honest, I wouldn't have it any other way. The pressure makes me disciplined and gives me motivation," Kramer said. 

He said much of that has to do with his growth from last year. 

"People don't know how much work I really put in to prepare and study. I credit Coach Morelli for teaching me how to break down the game and coverages. You can see the difference in my film from last year to this year. You can see me going through read progressions and pre snap looking at where the defenders are aligned," Kramer said. 

While the season hasn't gone as he had hoped, Kramer acknowledges he sees improvement each time out. 

"We have a lot of young guys getting their first varsity experience, but that's never an excuse. Every game we see improvement. Our first stretch of games are our toughest, but we like the challenge. As we get further into the season, the progress will only keep showing. We are super close to a breakthrough and we are going to put the whole area on standby," he said. 

With a win under their belts now, Kramer is optimistic it will serve as a springboard for the Cougars. 

"I think that set the tone for the rest of the season. We're hot, hungry and we are coming to play. As a collective, we have a chip on our shoulder, and we are going to continue to play with it. Our offense and defense have both been clicking and progressing day in and day out. The area has counted us out, and that extra motivation is what we need," Kramer said. 

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