Class of ‘23 Breakdown: Quarterbacks

 With the book officially closed on the Class of ’22, it’s time to turn our attention to the next senior class. The Class of ’23 has several notable players towards the top of the rankings, but this shouldn’t overshadow the rest of the talented prospects that make up this group of 250 players. As the calendar inches closer to spring, it’s a great time to breakdown the class by position before 7-on-7 and combine season is in full swing. We’re kicking off this series by going under center and taking a look at five signal callers in this class that should take a big jump in their development during in the ’22 season. With one of the top quarterbacks in the rankings transferring out of state, it’s an opportune time for these five prospects to step up and draw attention from recruiters. Dylan Bice Dylan Bice 6'2" | 200 lbs | QB Thunder Ridge | 2023 State KS – Thunder Ridge, 6’2”, 190 Last year we highlighted Bice as an offensive player to keep an eye on heading into the ’21 season, and he lived up to the hype. While his passing numbers took a bit of a dip from his sophomore year, Bice managed to cut down on turnovers and was more efficient, which was a big reason why the Longhorns finished the year at 11-1. He didn’t throw a ton but he completed 75% of his passes and threw for 1,042 yards and nine touchdowns, and dominated on the ground by rushing for 1,459 yards with 27 scores. Heading into year three as the starter for Thunder Ridge, Bice should be considered as one of the top playmakers out of the 8-Man division. He makes good decisions on zone reads and is a threat once he leaves the pocket, whether it be by design or when he’s extending a play. Bice’s confidence should be through the roof during his senior year. Garrett Maltbie Garrett Maltbie 6'0" | 175 lbs | QB Canton-Galva | 2023 State KS – Canton-Galva, 6’0”, 175 Maltbie is the second 8-Man product we’ll be highlighting in this piece. He also had a really impressive ’21 campaign.  Maltbie went 7-2 as the starter and finished the season completing 110 of his 179 pass attempts for 2,090 yards with 33 touchdowns and only two interceptions, and he carried the rock 100 times for 763 yards and 21 scores. This earned him 1^st Team All-State and All-League honors. His accolades continue to pile up and he should be in store for more this fall. Maltbie has proven that he can get the job done and can be very affective as a dual-threat. He’s shown that he can be an accurate thrower and makes good decisions, which explains his unbelievable touchdown to interception ratio. With Tyson Struber Tyson Struber 6'2" | 180 lbs | ATH Canton Galva | 2022 State KS graduating this spring, Maltbie is now in line to become the focal point of the Eagles’ offense. Keenan Schartz Keenan Schartz 5'11" | 170 lbs | QB Manhattan | 2023 State KS – Manhattan, 5’11”, 170 After taking his first varsity snaps as a sophmore, Schartz became the Indians’ lead signal caller during the ’21 season. He had some struggles, but that can be normal for a first-year starter. Despite that, Schartz proved to be a serviceable quarterback that helped lead Manhattan to a 9-2 record. He’d end his junior year completing 62% of his passes and was responsible for over 1,600 yards of total offense and 16 total touchdowns. Some nice things about Schartz’s game is his mobility and his decisiveness. This past season Manhattan utilized those abilities by getting Schartz out into space on sprint out throws. With the Indians graduating their leading rusher, Schartz could be asked to throw more this year, which could lead to a big senior season. Landon Boss Landon Boss 6'1" | 215 lbs | ATH Osage City | 2023 State KS – Osage City, 6’1”, 215 Most folks may not know, but Boss has been quietly putting together a great high school career. The 2021 season was his third year starting for the Indians, and it was his best season from an efficiency standpoint. Boss threw the ball less as a junior but he raised his completion percentage to nearly 60% and he did not throw an interception this past season. The 2A All-State Honorable Mention quarterback ended up throwing for 1,378 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for 635 yards on 62 carriers for 15 scores. One of the most impressive aspects of Boss’ game is his poise and confidence in the pocket. He stands tall and looks comfortable reading the defense to find his open receivers. Boss is also good at getting 5-Techs to bite on zone read plays, and he displays great vision in the open field. Eric Erbe Eric Erbe 6'2" | 190 lbs | QB Chanute | 2023 State KS – Chanute, 6’2”, 190 We end this first Class of ’23 Breakdown with a look at a promising signal caller that should get the attention of multiple recruiters during his senior year. After highlighting Erbe last summer as a prospect on the rise, he went out and was one of the top quarterbacks in Class 4A during the ’21 season. In his first full season leading the Blue Comets’ offense, Erbe helped lead them to an 8-2 record, and completed 62% of his passes while throwing for 1,718 yards and accounted for 25 total touchdowns. What Erbe does best is quickly identifying matchups he likes during his pre-snap read. He then gets the ball out quick and accurately to the open man. In addition to this, when you turn his film on it doesn’t take long to see that he’s one of the most athletic quarterbacks in this class. With Chanute returning most of their weapons on offense, Erbe and the Blue Comets could be in for a big year.