Bluegrasspreps.com Mr. Football Watchlist (10/1)

[DevilMayCare]

Week 6 Headlines
• KHSAA Passing Records, the King James Version
• Q leaves LexCath in his rear view 
• Manual struck down by a “Hodge”-podge

First Team All-Watchlist

Photo by Jared Jensen for the Paducah Sun.
Jack James (Paducah Tilghman, QB)
Put aside the covid year thing for a moment. No one has ever thrown more touchdown passes in the history of this state than Jack James. Asterisk or not, his name will sit atop that list for the foreseeable future. 

And he's reached this point with potentially another 8-9 games still to go. 

Along the way, James has passed a who's who of signal calling royalty - Highlands' Jared Lorenzen and Gino Guidugli, Boyle's Brandon Smith and Jeff Duggins, Lone Oak's Corey Robinson, Male's Chris Redman, Trinity's Brian Brohm, Leslie's Tim Couch, and finally, Caldwell's Elijah Sindelar. 

With the time he has left, he may put the record out of sight. 

One game pales in comparison to what James has accomplished, but for what it's worth, he tossed five touchdown passes against Allen County-Scottsville last week to break the record.

Season to date: 150/229 for 1,912 yards and 23 TDs with 4 INTs | 4 rushing TDs 
Highlights: vs. AC-S

 

Second Team All-Watchlist
Montavin Quisenberry (Boyle County, ATH)
Throughout his career as a Rebel, Quisenberry proved to be a dragon the Knights of Lexington Catholic couldn't slay. He pierced their armor while dodging every sword and spear. 

In four games against Boyle County's most vehement rival, Q accounted for over 700 yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns. 

His most recent - and final - appearance against LexCath produced 149 yards and three scores on only eight touches. 

The Knights, like so many others, never found an answer for him.

Season to date: 43 carries for 439 yards and 8 TDs | 22 catches for 401 yards and 5 TDs | 1 passing TD | 1 KR TD | 18 Tackles | 2 INTs 

 

Third Team All-Watchlist
Connor Hodge (Christian Academy of Louisville, ATH)
Nursing a rare two game skid, Hodge took the Crimsons by the horns to ensure the Centurions righted the ship.

He threw for 281 yards and a pair of touchdowns, accompanied by a touchdown run to help take down Manual on the road. 

The schedule has allowed very little breathing room, but the first year quarterback has conducted himself like a veteran of the position, save for an ill-advised throw here and there.

Like last week's interception-turned-strip and score.

All's well that ends well. Can we award Hodge a touchdown pass? The ball never touched the ground, it just took a detour on its way to the endzone.

Season to date: 121/181 for 1,645 yards and 15 TDs and 6 INTs | 381 rushing yards and 7 TDs | 2 INTs

 

Honorable Mention
Cortez Stone (Central, RB)
Cruised to an easy 186 yards and four touchdowns on twelve carries against Central Hardin. Stone eclipsed 6,000 career yards the week before as he enters the top twenty on the state's all-time rushing list.
Season to date: 82 carries for 817 yards and 13 TDs | 1 passing TD
Highlights: Mid-season

 

Photo by Dale Dawn for the  NKY Tribune.
Austin Alexander (Cooper, DE/TE)
Made the most of his one touch against Highlands, catching a 71 yard touchdown pass to go with seven tackles. 
Season to date: 22 tackles | 4 sacks | 22 catches for 405 yards and 5 TDs 

Clay Hayden (Beechwood, QB)
Long time followers of the watchlist know the affinity this thing has for the touchdown/incompletion ratio. Hayden may have turned in the most statistically flawless line ever featured in here - 5/5 with 5 touchdown passes against Gallatin County. It probably says more about Gallatin, but that's an incredible feat against anyone.
Season to date: 85/130 for 1,345 yards with 20 TDs and 3 INTs

Deuce Bailey (Bowling Green, QB)
Bailey was just a step behind Hayden, posting a +3 ratio against Ohio County, throwing four touchdown passes against a single incompletion.
Season to date: 87/134 for 1,451 yards and 21 TDs with 2 INTs | 112 rushing yards and 2 TDs

Luke Pennington (Sayre, QB)
Not to be outdone, Pennington completed 13 of 15 passes with 5 touchdowns against Nicholas County. Btw, he still hasn't been picked off this season. It's been nearly two years since his last interception. 
Season to date: 66/90 for 917 yards and 17 TDs with 0 INTs | 2 rushing TDs 

Brock Coffman (Sayre, ATH)
If Pennington balls out, Coffman is bound to be in the neighborhood. He caught eight passes for 140 yards and three touchdowns, plus a pick-six against Nicholas County. 
Season to date: 35 receptions for 520 yards and 10 TDs | 1 KR TD | 2 INTs including a pick-six 
Highlights: vs. Nicholas County

Kade Elam (Corbin, QB)
Hazard hung around for a half before the Hounds stretched their legs with a pair of Elam touchdown runs in the second half after throwing three touchdown passes in the first.
Season to date: 91/125 for 1,273 yards and 11 TDs with 1 INT | 7 rushing TDs 
Highlights: Mid-season

Bryce Button (South Warren, QB)
He pressed all the right buttons against Greenwood, completing 13 of 17 passes for 212 yards and four touchdowns, plus a touchdown run.
Season to date: 87/132 for 1,284 yards and 18 TDs with 4 INTs | 169 rushing yards and 5 TDs
Highlights: Mid-season

[EagleRare20]

If Quisenberry doesn't win Mr. Football the system is flawed lol. 

[DevilMayCare]

James gets the spotlight this week for obvious reasons, but the rest of the quarterbacks played at a high level.

The quintet of Bailey, Hayden, Elam, Button, and Pennington combined for 54/66 and 22 TDs last week, due in part to sub-par district competition. Still very impressive, though. Elam threw the week's only interception against a quality Hazard squad, but was otherwise sharp.

[theguru]

2 hours ago, EagleRare20 said:

If Quisenberry doesn't win Mr. Football the system is flawed lol. 

I don't believe there is a "system" in place so to speak. 

Who votes for Mr. Football now?  Is the original format, is the coaches association, is it both, is it something else?

[EagleRare20]

1 hour ago, theguru said:

I don't believe there is a "system" in place so to speak. 

Who votes for Mr. Football now?  Is the original format, is the coaches association, is it both, is it something else?

I was under the impression that it was the coaches association but could be wrong. What I'm saying is if you are awarding the best football player, Quisenberry encompasses everything you'd want. Can play any skill position at a high level in all three phases of the game. 

[theguru]

4 minutes ago, EagleRare20 said:

I was under the impression that it was the coaches association but could be wrong. What I'm saying is if you are awarding the best football player, Quisenberry encompasses everything you'd want. Can play any skill position at a high level in all three phases of the game. 

I agree on Q, he is heads and shoulders above everyone. 

[DevilMayCare]

1 hour ago, EagleRare20 said:

Quisenberry encompasses everything you'd want. Can play any skill position at a high level in all three phases of the game. 

I'd say he's leading the pack right now. His biggest competition coming into the season - imo - was Atwell and Alexander. At this point Atwell is probably still the best positioned to push Quisenberry, but he's been nicked up and exited last week's game early. And Alexander hasn't yet produced a signature game like Q vs. St. Eds.

A lot can happen between now and December, but Q is at the front of the line, at the moment.