QBs Who Elevated their Games in Week 4
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One of the more gratifying things about approaching the regular season’s midpoint includes seeking out those performers who demonstrate consistent, progressive improvements in their skill set, and nowhere can those developments yield more conspicuous results than in assessments of those…
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Continue ReadingOne of the more gratifying things about approaching the regular season’s midpoint includes seeking out those performers who demonstrate consistent, progressive improvements in their skill set, and nowhere can those developments yield more conspicuous results than in assessments of those who line up behind center. Whether first-year starters who are acclimating to their roles and expanding their skill sets or returning veterans who continue to refine their games and increase their mastery, these signal callers all served notice in Week 4 that their best football moments still lie ahead this season:
After finishing last season as the Indians’ leading pass receiver and #6 tackler, Grant’s athleticism and competitiveness compelled his full-time switch to quarterback for his junior year and thus far, he has shown steady, substantial improvements in both the running and passing games while helping lead his squad to a 4-1 start. In Adair County’s most recent contest, a 50-28 win over Monroe County, he completed 14 of 19 pass attempts for 351 and 4TDs, along with another 98 yards and 2 additional touchdowns rushing on 5 carries. Currently the #6 passer in Class AAA, he has completed 55 of 89 total passes for 868 yards and 9 total touchdowns while also rushing for 633 yards and 10 touchdowns on 75 carries–numbers currently placing him 12th among Class AAA rushers. Currently averaging 301 yards of total offense per game, Grant clearly continues to refine passing game mechanics that are making him a legitimately confounding double threat offensively.
Highlights
Brady Lee
Brady Lee
Beginning his junior season as the Pioneers’ backup quarterback, Lee found himself pressed into action when the starter was injured in the season opener and clearly has risen to the challenge. With four starts now under his belt, he turned in arguably his most complete game thus far in Friday’s 42-21 road win over Conner after completing 19 of 24 passes for 281 yards and 1 touchdown and adding 29 rushing yards and 2 additional touchdowns on 14 carries. With his second consecutive game of over 300 total yards of offense, his comfort in the pocket has clearly progressed as both his patience with deeper route combinations and timing on intermediate perimeter throws are becoming substantial elements of the Pioneers’ offensive attack going forward. Currently completing over 71 percent of his throws (51 of 71) for 777 yards and 5 touchdowns, Lee’s mobility and elusiveness in space also forces defenses to honor him as a legitimate run threat, as he has added 158 yards and 4 touchdowns on 45 carries.
After playing sparingly as the Bulldogs’ freshman backup quarterback last season, Mason has earned the starting position and majority of offensive snaps this fall and seems poised to remain the top signal caller for the next three seasons. Demonstrating a quick release, the ability to fit passes into narrow coverage windows and the mobility to extend plays while maintaining his throwing posture, he completed 13 of 18 passes for 251 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 47-0 win over visiting Jenkins and added a fifth touchdown rushing on a 1-yard carry. After going winless in 2022, the Bulldogs currently are on a two-game winning streak, as Mason has completed 41 of 72 pass attempts for 753 yards and 11 touchdowns while establishing himself as one of the state’s more gifted emerging passers.
After sharing the quarterbacking duties with a classmate as a sophomore, Passmore has assumed the role of full-time starter this fall, and the Tigers have responded with a 4-1 start that already equals last season’s win total. In their most recent victory–a 53-6 shellacking of Eastern–he completed 11 of 13 pass attempts for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns and surpassed a 68 percent completion percentage for the second consecutive week. Having now completed 42 of 90 pass attempts for 585 yards and 7 touchdowns this season, both his ability to diagnose defensive coverages and deliver the football with velocity are steadily improving with each game as he continues to develop a consistent passing threat to complement Fern Creek’s productive running game.
While Rice’s pedigree is well known and his career as a four-year starter for the Tigers makes him one of the state’s most accomplished signal callers, he nevertheless achieved a milestone last Friday with his first 300-yard passing game since his freshman season and setting a new mark for most total yards in a single game for his career. In a 50-12 win over rival Leslie County, he completed 18 of 25 pass attempts for 309 yards and 5 touchdowns while also rushing 4 times for 46 yards and another touchdown. Currently boasting a 74.8 completion percentage on 73 of 98 passing for 1,214 yards and 19 touchdowns, Rice’s total offensive production now exceeds 285 yards and almost 5 touchdowns per game. The #2-ranked passer in Kentucky Class AAA at this season’s mid-point, his Tigers are now 5-0 for the first time since 2006.