More Week 1 Performances impossible to ignore
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Man, Week 1 was a lot to keep up with! Having scouted six games last week and dozens of other great games to keep up with, it’s been a fun whirlwind trying to keep up with all the games and…
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Continue ReadingMan, Week 1 was a lot to keep up with! Having scouted six games last week and dozens of other great games to keep up with, it’s been a fun whirlwind trying to keep up with all the games and stats. Over the past several days I’ve been doing my best to go over the standouts of the week. With Week 2 beginning tomorrow, I’d like to shout several players I haven’t had a chance to talk about yet!
QB | Elliott Larner Elliott Larner 5'10" | 160 lbs | QB DeWitt | 2025 State MI | DeWitt
Stats: Over 225 yards, 31 Carries, 4 Touchdowns
It was a slow start for DeWitt as they found themselves down 10-7 at halftime against Haslett. After the break, multiple players including Elliot Larner stepped up in a big way, storming back to a 27-17 victory. In the passing game, Elliot had a few solid passes which kept he ball moving and kept the game managed. DeWitt didn’t pass a whole lot, but the passing game they had was enough to keep the defense guessing. Where Elliot really shined was in the run game. With designed QB runs, improvised scrambles, and options, Elliot tore the defense up on the ground with some incredible runs. I like how Elliot was able to sprint through his holes, and even outrun some second-level defenders for huge chunk plays. Shoutout to the DeWitt O-Line as well, as they opened up gaping holes to run through!
RB/LB | Paul Hess | Niles
Stats: 11 Carries, 92 Yards, 3TDs, 15 Tackles, 3TFLs
Paul was initially going to be in my top RBs article with his 3TDs, but as you can see above, he had even better defensive stats. Right off the bat in the film below, you can see that Paul is not afraid of contact. This is the theme of his Week 1 film. Offensively, Paul did a great job at fighting through contact in order to make the most of his carries. Defensively, Paul was very reactive, reading offensive linemen to immediately fill holes, making several tackles near or behind the line of scrimmage. The production for Paul is incredible, especially against a good opponent who went 9-2 last season. I’m looking forward to seeing what Paul does moving forward!
ATH | Brady Hamby Brady Hamby 6'0" | 215 lbs | ATH Dakota | 2025 State MI | Dakota
Stats: 13 Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 QB Pressure, 1 Kick Return TD, 2 Rushing TDs
Hamby showed up and showed out as a swiss army knife player for Dakota. In their massive 41-17 win against a historically excellent Fordson team, Hamby made plays in all 3 phases. His second highlight shows his kick return for a TD, which was a onside kick gone all wrong. Credit to Brady for grabbing the ball off the bounce, finding the hole, and accelerating forward without any resistance. His next several highlights show his abilities as an inside linebacker. Overall, he shows great reactivity, plugging runs up the middle with great hit power. He also reads a few screens incredibly well. His touchdowns starting at the 2:00 mark shows amazing blocking by the O-Line, and good running through arm tackles by Brady. This film shows obvious great conditioning, time in the weight room, and football IQ. Brady will continue to be one of the most feared players in the MAC Red, and he’ll be a key factor in helping Dakota win big games.
EDGE | Garrie Mann | Gull Lake
Stats: 8 Tackles, 3 Sacks, 4TFLs, 1FF, 6 QB Hurries
What in incredible statline for the Gull Lake edge rusher! His first highlight sets the tone well with a complete blunder from the O-Line, which Garrie capitalizes into a blindside sack. The rest of his film shows pancakes, sacks, and overall great drive. It’s obvious that Garrie is far more powerful than most of his opponents, making him a matchup nightmare. I’m especially excited to see what Garrie is able to do against Jackson Lumen Christi in a few weeks and Cadillac later on.
DB | Drew Rankin Drew Rankin 5'10" | 165 lbs | DB Northville | 2025 State MI | Northville
Stats: 3 PBUs, lockdown coverage
Drew really put in the hours this offseason to improve his game, and it showed during week 1. This has to be the most impressive Defensive Back performance of week 1, as Drew was lockdown against multiple Division 1 commits. The most impressive highlights come in coverage of an Indiana Committed 6’6″ TE. Never over-committing, great hips, great reaction time on all routes, great reaction time on targets resulting in PBUs, Drew showed up and showed out. Please watch the film below, cause it’s some impressive stuff. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what Drew can do against other highly-regarded passing offenses like Brighton.
WR | Debon Johnson Jr | Pontiac
Stats: 5 receptions, 135 yards (estimate), 1 TD
One of the biggest stories of the week was Pontiac breaking their losing streak. Alongside breaking the streak came the players who made it happen! Perhaps the best of the bunch was Debon Johnson Jr, who had a terrific day as a receiver. The main theme of his tape is the ability to win 50/50 balls 20+ yards down the field, even as a slot receiver. Some of the balls thrown his way were not perfect, but Debon made up for it with great ball tracking and high-pointing. He also showed wonderful traits as a speed-in-space player, catching a few screens/short routes in which he gains a ton of RAC yardage. We could be looking at a college prospect here!
QB | Jordan Simes Jordan Simes 6'0" | 200 lbs | QB Roseville | 2025 State MI | Roseville
Stats: 237 Yards passing, 2TDs, Blowout win vs. Brother Rice
I don’t currently have any film of Jordan Simes Jordan Simes 6'0" | 200 lbs | QB Roseville | 2025 State MI , but it’s obvious from this offseason and Week 1 that he’s taken strides in his game. I’m not sure yet if the 41-0 win against Brother Rice says more about Roseville or Rice just yet, but one thing is obvious- Jordan Simes Jordan Simes 6'0" | 200 lbs | QB Roseville | 2025 State MI has emerged as a top-tier QB in Michigan. Again, I’ll need to see the film, but I’m expecting several great throws down the field.
QB | Brody Betser Brody Betser 6'2" | 205 lbs | QB Caledonia | 2025 State MI | Caledonia
I’ve been hearing endless hype from the Cal faithful about Brody for some time now. I’ve liked what I’ve seen in person, but I didn’t want to form a big opinion until game action. The film below shows several great throws and runs- exactly what you’d expect out of the Caledonia offense. The Cal offense is filled with playmakers and good offensive linemen, and most schemes would work for this team. Cal heavily leans on the designed QB run with a lot of short-yardage speed-in-space passes with a good amount of shots downfield. The offensive gameplan worked to perfection against one of the strongest defenses in Michigan, and Cal couldn’t have done it without a strong performance from Brody.
In the run game, I think Brody did well. Like I said, the offense very heavily leans on the QB run game, and Brody picked it up very nicely. I don’t think he’s quite at the level Mason was last year, but Brody is already ahead of the curve for sure. In the pass game, Brody was very accurate. He did his job with the mostly uncomplicated (from a QB read standpoint) with screens and other speed-in-space plays. He also flashed excellent accuracy with deep throws. The play at the 0:45 mark shows an excellent throw as he fakes the screen and throws 35-yards at the seam, exposing the blown coverage. The very next play shows an even better throw, as Brody stands in the pocket and throws a perfectly placed ball 45 yards downfield to 1-1 coverage on the fade route. Incredibly impressive stuff for Brody, and I can’t wait to see what he does against league opponents!