Four Returning Quarterbacks Coming Off Impressive Seasons
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At any level of football, everyone knows the importance of strong quarterback play, and some of the top returning quarterbacks in Iowa rise on the Eastern side of the state. Here we look at four quarterbacks that used strong seasons…
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Continue ReadingAt any level of football, everyone knows the importance of strong quarterback play, and some of the top returning quarterbacks in Iowa rise on the Eastern side of the state. Here we look at four quarterbacks that used strong seasons to rise into the list of the best in the state, and all four have time to get even better with at least one more season of high school football to play.
During a breakthrough junior season, Larson proved to be one of the most athletic and uniquely talented quarterbacks in the state. What stands out first with Larson is an impressive athletic skill set that allowed the 6-1, 175-pounder returning punts and playing safety in addition to his quarterback duties. Larson had a 300-yard passing performance, a 100-yard rushing effort, caught a touchdown pass, and had two interceptions. That unique combination puts him in a unique category among high school quarterbacks. As a sophomore Larson split reps at quarterback but excelled this season as he settled in as the full-time starter passing for 1,841 yards and 19 touchdowns in eight games. The arm talent for Larson was evident early in his career but this fall he demonstrated increased accuracy, completing 68 percent of his passes and displayed good touch on intermediate throws.
Graham Beckman Graham Beckman 6'2" | 205 lbs | QB Liberty | 2024 State IA
Iowa City Liberty junior Graham Beckman Graham Beckman 6'2" | 205 lbs | QB Liberty | 2024 State IA exploded onto the scene in his first varsity season ranking in the top 10 in the state in both passing yards and passing touchdowns. At 6-2, 200-pounds Beckman has good size and has an impressive build with good lower body strength that helped him rush for 320 yards and four touchdowns. Beckman showed good arm strength and accuracy while completing 63 percent of his passes and throwing for 2,580 yards and 31 touchdowns but his most impressive attributes are his field vision and poise. He plays more mature than his experience indicates and is an excellent decision maker throwing just four interceptions in 261 attempts. Beckman showed an excellent ability to read coverages and work through his reads evident by the balanced numbers for his receivers as he completed 23 or more passes to five different players. The strong junior season already has Beckman hearing from a variety of college across the Midwest.
Iowa City West sophomore Jack Wallace Jack Wallace 6'3" | 205 lbs | QB Iowa City West | 2025 State IA showed major growth during his second season behind center. A rare freshman starter at the Class 5A level last season, Wallace passed for 1,754 yards and 17 touchdowns as a sophomore. Wallace has a good build at 6-3, 210 pounds, and a strong arm. The greatest growth this season for Wallace came in decision-making and accuracy. After completing 43 percent of his passes and throwing seven interceptions in 159 pass attempts as a freshman Wallace completed 58 percent of his passes and had just two picks in 201 pass attempts this fall. Wallace isn’t utilized heavily in the quarterback run game but has good footwork and moves well in the pocket. With two years of high school football to play Wallace has a lot of upside.
Joey Rhomberg
Rhomberg didn’t enter the season with much fanfare but that should change going forward after leading Mount Vernon to a 12-0 record and a spot in the Class 3A title game while ranking in the top 10 in the state in passing yards. Rhomberg has passed for 2,543 yards and 25 touchdowns with just eight interceptions in his first season. The junior has many of the sought-after attributes in a quarterback. Rhomberg has good size at 6-2, 185 pounds and has a quick release and accurate arm, completing 64 percent of his passes. The numbers are good for Rhomberg and the physical skills are solid but his intangibles are the strong suit. Rhomberg sees the field relatively well and makes strong reads in both the run and pass game.