article Bluegrasspreps Mr. Football Watchlist (11/26)

Front Runners

Beau Allen (QB, Lexington Catholic)

2019 Season: 234/341 for 3,682 yards and 38 TDs/8 ints. - 517 yards rushing/12 TDs

Career: 743/1,144 (65%) for 11,439 yards and 127 touchdown passes/35 interceptions - 1,133 rushing yards/20 touchdowns

Reed Lanter (QB, Boyle County)

Quarterfinals: Lanter is the latest watchlist quarterback to notch a perfect game this season, connecting on all of his eleven pass attempts against Scott. His 257 yards and five touchdowns were part of a seemingly effortless 55-0 rout of the Eagles that saw Boyle amass over 400 yards of offense on just thirty plays. This was Lanter's sixth career game with five touchdown passes, and he joined the 100 career touchdown club with his first of the night.

Season to date: 150/202 for 2,790 yards and 37 TDs/2 int.

Michael Mayer (TE/LB, Covington Catholic)

Quarterfinals: Mayer had a pretty reserved night against Madison Southern: 3 catches for 31 yards/1 TD and a handful of tackles. Most weeks this season, he's simply been another piece of the puzzle for Covington Catholic, which hasn't been a problem, at least not yet. It might be time to turn it on though, as he'll likely need so summon his absolute best this week and next, if the Colonels advance.

Season to date: 40 catches for 807 yards and 14 TDs - 2 rushing TDs - 82 tackles/1.5 sacks/4 int./1 pick-six/5 forced fumbles

Reese Smith (WR/S, Boyle County)

Quarterfinals: Smith added two more receiving touchdowns and a pair of interceptions to his already school record setting totals. His two touchdown receptions against Scott give him 61 for his career, which breaks a tie he previously held with Montrell Jones and places him third on the all-time list in state history, and the 87 receiving yards he collected against the Eagles pushes him over 4,000 for his career, good enough for seventh all-time. We're not done yet, folks. His two picks bump his career total to 26, cracking the state's career top five.

Season to date: 47 catches for 1,251 yards and 18 touchdowns - 3 rushing TDs - 26 tackles/7 ints./1 pick-six

Locks

Malachi Corley (RB/WR/DB, Campbellsville)

2019 Season: 48 rushes for 541 yards and 10 TDs - 25 catches for 698 yards and 10 TDs - 63 tackles/3 sacks/4 forced fumble - 1 punt return touchdown

Career: 2,070 yards rushing/26 TDs - 2,324 yards receiving/30 TDs - 269 tackles/6 ints. - 6 non-offensive TDs

Izayah Cummings (WR, Male)

Quarterfinals: For the second week in a row, Cummings was statistically shut out, failing to record a single reception. Not that it mattered, as Male took care of St. X, 33-7. His impact on the game can't be measured by numbers alone. His presence on the field can make him the ultimate decoy, opening up opportunities for teammates, and he's a tenacious blocker in the running game. He's been feast or famine with his offensive output this season, which is bad news for Tates Creek, because he's probably due to eat this week.

Season to date: 50 catches for 962 yards and 11 TDs

Jeriah Hightower (RB, Madisonville-North Hopkins)

Quarterfinals: Hightower more than atoned for a sub-par performance and loss to Franklin-Simpson in last year's semifinals. In the standout performance of the quarterfinal round, he butchered FS's defense for an incredible 324 yards and six touchdowns on thirty-seven carries. He surpassed 6,000 career yards last Friday, making him the 22nd player in state history to reach that mark.

Season to date: 317 rushes for 2,817 yards and 33 TDs

Octavious Oxendine (DT, North Hardin)

Quarterfinals: The Trojans turned in a consummate defensive performance against a McCracken County offense that had frequently been explosive this season. Double O recorded four tackles behind the line of scrimmage and forced a fumble in North Hardin's 38-2 victory over the Mustangs. They held McCracken to roughly three hundred yards below their season average coming in.

Season to date: 62 tackles/17 TFL/14.5 sacks

Walker Parks (OT/DL, Frederick Douglass)

Quarterfinals: Douglass rolled over Southwestern 44-8 behind another strong outing from the offensive line. Like he has all season, QB Josh McClurg spent another night unencumbered by defensive pressure.

Season to date: 30 tackles/10.5 TFL/5.5 sacks - The Broncos are averaging eight yards per carry and have only allowed one sack this season.

Southwestern High School - Walker Parks highlights - Hudl

Demetri Scott (DE/TE, DeSales)

Quarterfinals: Bardstown held Scott without a sack for the first time since Week 9, but his teammates helped pick up some of the slack in the Colts' 41-7 runaway victory. He continues to provide DeSales with a reliable redzone target, catching his eighth touchdown pass of the season.

Season to date: 71 tackles/23 TFL/24 sacks - 17 receptions for 313 yards and 8 TDs

Jayden Stinson (QB, Mayfield)

Quarterfinals: The game against Edmonson County turned out to be every bit the mismatch that it appeared to be on paper. Stinson finished a cool 7/8 for 184 yards and three touchdowns. Next on the Mayfield docket: a Beechwood team sporting one of 2A's best pass defenses.

Season to date: 162/247 for 3,318 yards and 46 TDs/10 ints.

Edmonson County High School - Jayden Stinson highlights - Hudl

On The Bubble

Charles Collins (RB/DB, Breathitt County)

Quarterfinals: Collins' production is starting to pick up as the level of opposition gets tougher. He churned out 253 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns in Breathitt's 57-28 win over Walton-Verona. Displaying his versatility, he also completed the first touchdown pass of his career.

Season to date: 118 rushes for 1,694 yards and 34 TDs - 1 receiving TD - 1 passing TD - one kickoff return TD - 41 tackles/1 sack

Luke Duby (QB, Tates Creek)

Quarterfinals: Duby's huge night against Simon Kenton has vaulted him onto the watchlist, for at least a week. He carved up SK's defense for 333 yards and five touchdowns. He now leads the state in passing yards and ranks third in touchdown passes.

Season to date: 254/415 for 4,371 yards and 44 TDs/12 ints.

Games 5-1 - Luke Duby highlights - Hudl

Franklin Hayes (WR, McCracken County)

Quarterfinals: A season that featured a bang! versus Mayfield, amongst several others, ends on a whimper against North Hardin. Hayes' pursuit of the single season receiving touchdown record came up short after being shutout in a 38-2 loss to the Trojans. His production tapered off significantly over his last three games, following the injury to McCracken running back Hunter Bradley.

Season to date: 69 catches for 1,556 yards and 26 TDs

Drew Hartz (QB, Owensboro Catholic)

2019 Season: 246/348 for 4,173 yards and 57 TDs/5 ints.

Career: 531/817 (65%) for 8,696 yards and 115 touchdowns/20 interceptions - 6 touchdown runs

Miles Thomas (WR, Tates Creek)

Quarterfinals: Duby and Thomas go hand in hand, so if his quarterback is making his debut, Thomas is as well. He didn't have his best game against Simon Kenton (4 catches for 83 yards and a score), but his season is impossible to ignore any longer. His yardage total ranks 6th all-time for a single season, and his touchdown receptions trail only Franklin Hayes for the state lead.

Season to date: 72 receptions for 1,727 yards and 22 TDs

Mid Season Highlights - Miles Thomas highlights - Hudl

Front Runners

 

 

 

Reese Smith (WR/S, Boyle County)

 

Quarterfinals: Smith added two more receiving touchdowns and a pair of interceptions to his already school record setting totals. His two touchdown receptions against Scott give him 61 for his career, which breaks a tie he previously held with Montrell Jones and places him third on the all-time list in state history, and the 87 receiving yards he collected against the Eagles pushes him over 4,000 for his career, good enough for seventh all-time. We're not done yet, folks. His two picks bump his career total to 26, cracking the state's career top five.

 

Season to date: 47 catches for 1,251 yards and 18 touchdowns - 3 rushing TDs - 26 tackles/7 ints./1 pick-six

40-2 record over the last 3 seasons, and a 2017 State Championship already. What's amazing is most of these stats are only playing 2 quarters a game.

Should = Mr. Football

40-1 record over the last 3 seasons, and a 2017 State Championship already. What's amazing is most of these stats are only playing 2 quarters a game.

 

Should = Mr. Football

I'll refrain from taking sides until after the winner is announced, but Smith's accomplishments and two-way impact are are nothing short of incredible.

40-1 record over the last 3 seasons, and a 2017 State Championship already. What's amazing is most of these stats are only playing 2 quarters a game.

 

Should = Mr. Football

I know it's the argument that's been made since the beginning of the Mr. Football award, but what I hate about it is the fact that, as amazing as all of those top 3, top 5, and top 10 lists are that Reese has made his way onto, there are still players out there like Walker Parks who are linemen, and don't have a single state record board to make it on.

There's no record board for most pancake blocks.

There's no record board for most straight games without having a single blocking assignment make a play on the ball carrier.

There's no record board for career least botched exchanges from a center to a quarterback.

There's no record board for most holes stuffed preventing an offensive gain.

There's no record board for splitting a double-team.

There's no record board for most times staying at home on a reverse and stopping the play at or behind the line of scrimmage.

I'm not trying to argue Parks or Smith here, but comparatively, there just isn't a way to track those guys, and even less of a way to compare players from position to position. This award just plain is not about "Mr. Football". This award is the "Mr. Football Skills Position" award. That's what I hate about this.

40-2 record over the last 3 seasons, and a 2017 State Championship already. What's amazing is most of these stats are only playing 2 quarters a game.

 

Should = Mr. Football

My screen said 40-1 so I wrote 40-2 but it showed 40-2 in the quote stupid computers but with that said, I still stand by his career has been an amazing ride to watch.

I know it's the argument that's been made since the beginning of the Mr. Football award, but what I hate about it is the fact that, as amazing as all of those top 3, top 5, and top 10 lists are that Reese has made his way onto, there are still players out there like Walker Parks who are linemen, and don't have a single state record board to make it on.

 

There's no record board for most pancake blocks.

There's no record board for most straight games without having a single blocking assignment make a play on the ball carrier.

There's no record board for career least botched exchanges from a center to a quarterback.

There's no record board for most holes stuffed preventing an offensive gain.

There's no record board for splitting a double-team.

There's no record board for most times staying at home on a reverse and stopping the play at or behind the line of scrimmage.

 

I'm not trying to argue Parks or Smith here, but comparatively, there just isn't a way to track those guys, and even less of a way to compare players from position to position. This award just plain is not about "Mr. Football". This award is the "Mr. Football Skills Position" award. That's what I hate about this.

While I agree with everything, you say here, and I think there needs to be an award for being the state's best lineman. However, as an offensive line coach, I have to say that most of if not all of those guys don't do what they do for awards. That doesn't change the fact that they need to be recognized I just wanted to point out how selfless that position is. It is because of this selflessness that you see teams with good OL/DL play making it to December.

My screen said 40-1 so I wrote 40-2 but it showed 40-2 in the quote stupid computers but with that said, I still stand by his career has been an amazing ride to watch.

I seen my mistake and changed it as you must have been typing. :-)

While I agree with everything, you say here, and I think there needs to be an award for being the state's best lineman. However, as an offensive line coach, I have to say that most of if not all of those guys don't do what they do for awards. That doesn't change the fact that they need to be recognized I just wanted to point out how selfless that position is. It is because of this selflessness that you see teams with good OL/DL play making it to December.

Totally agreed with you. That's coming from a longgggg-retired center, here.

Good information. Hayes for McCracken's last 3 games:

2 TD's and 66 yards against Apollo - running clock and backups in 2nd half

2 for 39 yds against Henderson, who double and triple teamed him the entire night

No stats listed for the team vs. North Hardin, but his starting QB was out with concussion. The mustangs used a sophomore and a freshman QB who had limited varsity action. He had no real chance in this game.

Best WR in the state. He would still get my vote.

1. Hayes

2. Allen

3. Hightower

@Colonels_Wear_Blue, if only there were a way to accurately measure a player's impact on the game, regardless of position, then maybe Parks would have a real shot at this. Maybe Orlando Pace would have won the 1996 Heisman. It's true, the big guys don't have equal footing with skill guys and QBs with these awards.

All anyone has to do is watch some film on Parks and it quickly becomes clear that he's one of the best football players in Kentucky. You almost feel sorry for his opponents. The size/frame, athleticism, footwork, technique, motor, the way he finishes his blocks... it's easy to see what Clemson saw in him.

I know it's the argument that's been made since the beginning of the Mr. Football award, but what I hate about it is the fact that, as amazing as all of those top 3, top 5, and top 10 lists are that Reese has made his way onto, there are still players out there like Walker Parks who are linemen, and don't have a single state record board to make it on.

 

There's no record board for most pancake blocks.

There's no record board for most straight games without having a single blocking assignment make a play on the ball carrier.

There's no record board for career least botched exchanges from a center to a quarterback.

There's no record board for most holes stuffed preventing an offensive gain.

There's no record board for splitting a double-team.

There's no record board for most times staying at home on a reverse and stopping the play at or behind the line of scrimmage.

 

I'm not trying to argue Parks or Smith here, but comparatively, there just isn't a way to track those guys, and even less of a way to compare players from position to position. This award just plain is not about "Mr. Football". This award is the "Mr. Football Skills Position" award. That's what I hate about this.

I agree. But Dennis Johnson was a LB. Chester Ford was 2nd if memory serves and he was a Defensive Tackle. Like you said, it is very hard to win it outside of measurable skill positions.

Linemen don't get their due and never will. But a Ky Mr. Trenches would go a long way to help that along.