Rookie varsity quarterback looks to future

The huddle ends and the play is chosen, a grunt coming from the boys. As the play is put into action, all the pressure is place on the quarterback’s shoulders, and that is just what sophomore Brandon Nelson loves.

Nelson is the team’s new quarterback, filling the position after Mason Gee-Montgomery graduated. Nelson has some big cleats to fill because Gee-Montgomery was ranked second in the state last year for passing yards according to Max Preps, a student athlete statistic site, and Nelson was ranked 13th the 2017 season.

Nelson has been playing football since third grade, yet this is only his third season playing the quarterback position. Nelson ended his freshman season early due to tearing the meniscus in his knee, and forcing him to skip his basketball season as well.

“I’ve done sports all my life,” Nelson said. “To be told I couldn’t physically do them, it was heartbreaking.”

Head football coach Jeremy Killinger thinks that Nelson is doing fine. He believes that Nelson was the best choice they had when making that decision.

“Brandon has filled a role that was needed to be filled, he was willing to sacrifice playing on junior varsity, where he could of played some lesser opponents,” Killinger said.

According to Killinger, they have only had three quarterbacks in the last ten years, two of them winning state awards. Nelson’s torn meniscus did not allow him to get the playing time he needed to join that club.

“He is a sophomore playing with freshman experience,” Killinger said.

Nelson thinks he has some qualities that make him exceptional.

“I feel like I’m good with my footwork, which helps me keep the play alive,” Nelson said.

He does have abilities he feels he needs to work on, such as looking downfield fully.

Coach Killinger also thinks that it really is not fair to compare Nelson to Gee-Montgomery, because Gee-Montgomery played at the varsity level for much longer than Nelson has been.

“Filling those shoes is a tall order,” Killinger said. Gee-Montgomery has won multiple awards, some of them being All State 1st team quarterback, which he won twice, and Division 5/6 player of the year.

“People really underestimate the speed of the game,” Killinger said. “There’s so much going on in front of you.” However, unlike the game, time is on his side when it comes to preparing for his next season.