Going back to 1999, there aren't many high school programs in the state of Kentucky that can say they have produced the type of talent at the quarterbacks position that the Highlands Bluebirds have. Among that list includes a future Super Bowl champion in Jared Lorenzen, another NFL quarterback in Gino Guidugli. a Joe Montana quarterback of the year nominee in Tony Guidugli, as well as Mr Football and current Kentucky Wildcat Patrick Towles, and 1st team all state and That's my Boy award winner, Donovan McCoy. Needless to say, there are a lot of high expectations if you are the quarterback at Highlands.

 

Enter 6'1 185 lb Drew Houliston who has waited the past two years behind Patrick Towles and Donovan McCoy, for his chance to start at quarterback for Dale Mueller's offense.

 

" They (Towles and McCoy) were great leaders of their team and I try to model the way I approach practices and games the way they did," Houilston said. " I don't feel any pressure at all living up to what they did because my style isn't very similar to either of theirs. We all have the same goals every year. We want to get better every day and lead our team to a state championship and try to win every game."

 

On Saturday afternoon, Houliston made just his second career varsity start. This time, however, it was on a much bigger stage, in front of a national audience watching at home on ESPNU, as the Bluebirds took on defending 2A state champions University Chrisitain out of Jacksonville, Florida.

 

" It wasn't too hard to wake up that morning, that's for sure. But I was very excited and also nervous." Said Houliston.

 

One week prior, the senior signal caller was under center taking on nationally ranked Louisville Trinity in the Bluebirds first scrimmage to "prep" for the real thing in Week 0.

 

" I wasn't as nervous as I thought I would be at the start of the game, and I credit that to the scrimmage against Trinity."

 

Houliston continued.

 

"I knew coming in that we were playing a tough team, but I knew we probably won't see teams better than Trinity. THe national TV part of it didn't really have a negative affect on me. All it did was make me more focused and excited. It didn't add to the nerves that much. It felt like just another game."

 

Houliston got off to a slow start as he threw an INT on his first pass of the game and then fumbled on the Bluebirds next possession. Both turnovers led to UC scores to put the Ft. Thomas school down 10-0 early. That didn't have any effect on the senior, however as he rallied around his team.

 

" Growing up playing sports, I've always been poised. Nothing really rattles me," Houliston said. " After both (turnovers) I was calm and still confident in myself and in my teammates that we were going to come back and win. Our first touchdown really got all of us going."

 

Houliston, who finished the game 21-30 for 373 yards and 4 touchdowns, was the star of the game but elected to take a different route when asked about his play.

 

" We have 8-9 receivers that play every other play and have my full confidence in them. Them being fresh out there is a huge benefit for us. We have a good combination of size and speed."

 

Drew made sure to also give credit to the guys in the trenches who made his first start a huge success.

 

" The O-line played great. It all starts with them. This year we feel we can run it every play or pass it every play and win. They're doing a great job pass blocking and becoming more aggressive in the running game."

 

Houliston continued.

 

" With their size and speed, they enable us to do whatever we want on offense."

 

With all of that said.

 

Can Houliston be the next great Highlands quarterback?

 

Although he will downplay the question, the kid they call "D-Bob" certainly has made a strong case with his first regular season performance.

He can and will be.

He looked good to me, what a strong arm for such a little guy. Is it me or does he look 12 years old? lol

Houliston is definitely a different kind of quarterback. He is not physically imposing, like Towles. He is not the speedy shifty runner like McCoy. What he is is extremely poised, intelligent and confident with a really good and accurate arm. The fact that he has up to 10 really good receivers also really helps. Add in a big and talented offensive line and you have the ingredients for Houliston to be the next great quarterback. It is just too bad that he will only have one year to prove himself, like McCoy did.

I put him and Gino up as #1 and #2 in terms of pure passing skills, w/ Gino being #1. His ball is accurate and catchable. He isn't the athlete that Jared and Towles were, and maybe doesn't have as strong of an arm, but he is more accurate. McCoy was the best runner out of all of them.

 

I will say that Hergott looks like a QB. He played in the 4th quarter and threw the ball about 50 yards w/ minimal effort. There was some miscommunication on the route, but the throw looked effortless. They just keep churning them out.

I think his athleticism is very underrated. This is a kid who can also drop 20 on you any given night on.the hardwood, as well.

From what I saw on tv Saturday and what Dale has been saying about him I'd say he has a good chance to move into the top 5 or so on the HHS legends list. Someone else mentioned four good ones and you can't leave Roger Walz out of this discussion. We will have a better read after John Hardin, PT and Cov. Cath. and we will know for sure after the first weekend in December.

The article shows how smart Drew is, he gave the big boys up front credit.

From what I saw on tv Saturday and what Dale has been saying about him I'd say he has a good chance to move into the top 5 or so on the HHS legends list. Someone else mentioned four good ones and you can't leave Roger Walz out of this discussion. We will have a better read after John Hardin, PT and Cov. Cath. and we will know for sure after the first weekend in December.

 

This kid will only keep getting better. Very smart and athletic and he's still only 2 games into his starting gig! He is going to be scary good. But like a lot of kids before him, his stats may not be tops in the state because of the Birds being the Birds. Most games, he will sit out most of the second half! You can argue that's what also makes him better...the ole, well he plays with great athletes, that's easy! Well every year, I don't see HHS producing a plethora of D1 athletes. There are a few here and there, but everyone seems to think HHS is a D1 machine and they are not. Just hard working kids with common goals. They have a lot of good receivers, but I doubt any of them go D1. I hope I'm wrong. But their stats always take a little hit because of playing time.

Gino played in the NFL?

Gino played in the NFL?

 

From Wikipedia:

 

Guidugli went unselected in the 2005 NFL Draft. He was later signed by the Tennessee Titans but was ultimately released. He later joined the Green Bay Blizzard of the af2, leading the Blizzard to the af2 playoffs.

 

He signed a free agent contract with the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League on July 23, 2007, following injuries to starting quarterback Dave Dickenson and backup Buck Pierce.[1]

However, he was released by the Lions following their 2008 training camp after losing the job as third-string quarterback to rookie Zac Champion.

 

Guidugli signed with the Milwaukee Iron on January 2, 2010, but was placed on the "Refused to Report" list and did not play with the team.

 

Guidugli signed with the Milwaukee Mustangs on June 10, 2011.[2] He is reunited with former Green Bay Blizzard coaches Bob Landsee, Mark Stoute, and Cedric Walker. When they signed Gino the Mustangs were 4-8, he went on to start 5 games for the Mustangs and went 3-2, but the 2 losses were by 1 point and 4 points.

 

Guidugli was introduced as the running backs coach for Central Michigan University on March 11, 2013. He replaces Kort Shankweiler, who left for the tight ends and tackles coaching job at Florida International under his father, Steve, who is the new offensive line coach for FIU.

Funny story on how the name D-Bob came about.

 

My daughter dates him and brought him to the house one evening for some cake and milk...

 

She introduces me to the kid and she tells me his name and that all the kids call him D-Boy. for Drew Boy.

 

About 3 days later he shows up with my daughter again and while they are walking into the house I asked my daughter if she and D-Bobwanted something to eat.

She acknowledged yes of course and he just blushed and turned red and they keep on walking.

 

The story goes, my youngest son is shooting hoops outside with about five other HHS football players and they heard what I called him, they all laughed at me and really didn't say anything. The next day Drew goes to school for a workout and the rest is history.

 

Everyone calls him D-Bob now, the kids, coaches and teachers, everyone but his mother. She hates it. :thumb:

 

D-Boy or D-Bob, the kid is as poised as anyone I have every seen at Highlands. He doesn't have the size that Gino had but they sure do resemble each other on accuracy and proficiency that is for sure. They both make it look effortless imo.

 

Great article...Just sayin

Good QB. Better "man-in-the-making." Been around him a long time and have never seen him "get out of line." Deserves a lot of credit for waiting his turn. Lots of kids in that same situation with the AAU mentality that is present today would have been demanding playing time and examining the transfer rules to see what opportunities were out there.

All-Time Top 5 after one start?

 

He may be the Best to ever play at Highlands, I know Dale has already anointed him, but let this kid play a few games before you guys start throwing that on top of him. Come the end of the season and maybe he is in the top 5 all-time, maybe even the best ever Let him play his one season without all of this extra hoopla on him.

Here is a question a friend of mine asked when I was talking about how good he looked Saturday, "how many really good QB's in the state would look just as good playing for Highlands." His point was Highlands runs fresh receivers out just about every play and just wear the opposing DB's down...by late in the first half he was throwing to receivers that were either wide open or open by several steps.