Top 7 in 7 Years
Vince Young, Houston Madison: 2000-2001
Class of 2002
Few high school quarterbacks have ever inspired an offense the way Vince Young did when he led the Madison Marlins.
Against North Shore, Hightower, Katy and the like, Young would take the heat of a blitz and throw the long pass. Even the best defensive units could not contain Young when he unleashed a senior season of 2,545 yards passing, 35 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. With his 4.4 speed, Young also ran for 1,274 yards and 24 scores as a senior, totaling 7,624 yards from scrimmage in his prep career.
That earned Young the 2001 Texas 5A Offensive Player of the Year award and the Parade National Player of the Year honor. Young led the Marlins to the playoffs all four years he played for famed coach Ray Seals.
Although Young does not hold an offensive state record, he is still a football legend at Madison and on the NCAA gridiron for the University of Texas. He led the Longhorns to back-to-back Rose Bowl wins, most memorable for their most recent national championship with a highlight reel touchdown run with only seconds left against No. 1 USC.
A turning point in Young’s career occurred during his sophomore season when NFL great QB Steve McNair became the Madison QB’s mentor after Young attended the Steve McNair Football Camp. Despite 10 years difference in age, the pair shared similar backgrounds, including special athletic gifts and the lack of a father figure. The bond formed, and today, at 6-5, 233 pounds and a veteran with the Tennessee Titan NFL team, Young hosts July football camps in Austin and Nashville for students of the game. Proceeds go to the Vince Young Foundation.
Graham Harrell, Ennis: 2000-2003
Class of 2004
Between 2000-2003, Ennis standout quarterback Graham Harrell set five Texas state football records for passing in a state renowned for its quarterback heritage.
He was simply Mr. Efficiency compared to other elite throwers, never approaching the list for most pass attempts, yet still holding the state record for career TD passes (167) and single-season TD passes (67). He is second to Lake Travis’ Garrett Gilbert in: single-season pass completions (360-334), single-season passing yards by 29 yards (4,854-4,825 yards) and career passing yards by five yards (12,537-12,532 yards).
From day one, Harrell was a phenom. His sprint-out passes, passing efficiency, downfield vision and touch made Harrell perhaps the most difficult passer to defend in the past decade. His senior season, Harrell completed 66.4 percent of his 503 pass attempts for 4,825 yards, 67 TDs while allowing only eight interceptions during a 13-game season. He threw for 573 yards in his senior season opener against Waxahachie and connected for six or more touchdowns in six separate games in 2003.
Harrell was a Grade A butcher, slicing secondaries up every week for four consecutive years. Ennis won 4A state titles during Harrell’s freshman and sophomore seasons as the Lions supplanted Stephenville as the new millennia’s 4A king of the hill.
No wonder he earned the Associated Press 4A Offensive Player of the Year honor. And no surprise he has accomplished similar success with Texas Tech in the NCAA world. Now he’s just signed with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders.
Garrett Gilbert, Austin Lake Travis: 2006-2008
Class of 2009
Looking back over the years, there have not been many athletes with as many accolades, local and national, as former Lake Travis quarterback Garrett Gilbert.
One could easily make an entire article filled with the hardware he has at his home in Austin, but we’ll try and speak on the national accolades like the Gatorade Player of the Year (first in Texas to do so), USA Today Offensive Player of the Year, PARADE All American Player of the year, and was named Mr. Football by EA Sports. He also played in the Under Armour All-American Bowl as well.
All of this, and the many more not mentioned, are credited to his performance on the field. Gilbert holds the single-season passing yards (4,854-16 games), single season completions and attempts (360, 556) and career passing yards (12,537) for a Texas quarterback. He is also No. 5 on the list for single-season touchdown passes (55) and No. 2 for career touchdowns (136).
And though there are many more added to his name as an individual, Gilbert was the leader of the Cavaliers’ team. During his tenure as a starter, Lake Travis’ record was 39-4 and has two state championships as well. His final year was a good one as he passed for 4851 yards, 55 touchdowns and six interceptions. And though he is not classified as a dual threat, he did rush for 774 yards and 23 scores. Lake Travis was 16-0 in 2008.
It is likely that the bar has always been a little raised for Garrett as his father, Gale, played eight seasons in the NFL for the Seattle, Buffalo, and San Diego.
Gilbert was the first player of the 2009 class to give a commitment, and in February 2009, signed a letter of intent to play football for the University of Texas.
Drew Tate, Baytown Lee: 1999-2002
Class of 2003
When it comes to 5A football in Texas, not many players can say they were on a varsity roster for four years. With Baytown Lee’s Drew Tate, he not only suited up, but also started every year at quarterback while he was in high school.
Running the offensive system and working with and coach and stepfather Dick Olin, Tate was known as one of the top passers during his tenure. In four years, Tate holds records for career pass completions (970), career attempts (1,576) and is one of four to throw eight touchdown passes in a single game. He is No. 3 in career passing yards behind Harrell and Gilbert which is not bad company to keep.
These kinds of numbers landed him a number of awards including the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year, and received equivalent honors from the Associated Press, the Houston Chronicle and the Houston Touchdown Club. He also played in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
With all of this in mind, it was no wonder that Texas A&M (and many others) were hot on the recruiting trail. But after an Aggie coaching change, Tate decided pull back on that commitement and head on over to Iowa, which was what he felt was best for him. Continuing the trend of longevity in the starting quarterback role, Tate is one of four to hold down the top quarterback position for three seasons.
Tate had a short run with the NFL when he signed as a free agent to the St. Louis Rams. After he was released, he moved on to play in the Canadian League and here recently was signed by the Calgary Stampeders.
G.J. Kinne, Canton: 2003-2005; Gilmer: 2006
Class of 2007
Small schools get love too right? And if we are talking elite quarterbacks, Canton/Gilmer’s G.J. Kinne deserves mention. May even be safe to say that he could be the best all-around athlete on this list, but let’s just stick to the topic.
Four-year starter Kinne’s name shows up on the Texas record books in the categories of career passing yards (No. 4, 11,750) and touchdowns (No.3, 130). During his career, he is 38-9 overall and his accolades include being named the 3A Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press and the Texas Sports Writers Association.
In his three years at Canton, Kinne threw for 8,479 yards and 83 touchdowns while rushing for 2,927 yards and 37 touchdowns. Once making the move to Gilmer, he did not slow down production, especially when he threw for 4,200 yards and 47 touchdowns to one interception and running for another 400 and 11 touchdowns. In his career, he has thrown, caught, ran, intercepted, and return (both punt and kickoffs) for touchdowns.
After a long recruiting season, Kinne decided to commit and sign a letter of intent to Texas. But after his red shirt year, he was No. 4 on the depth chart and transferred to Tulsa. He would be eligible to play this (2009) season, and after a good showing in the Hurricane spring game, Kinne is battling with two other players for the starting job.
Chase Daniel, Southlake Carroll: 2003-2004
Class of 2005
Since coach Bob Ledbetter’s day, Southlake Carroll has been a dynamo in football. In 2002 the Dragon entered the high school stratosphere, winning 79 of their next 80 games – including a quartet of 5A state championships.
Chase Daniel pushed a talented Dragon team to a 15-1 record in 2003, losing to Katy 16-15 in the Division II title game. Then he ignited one of the greatest unbeaten streaks in Texas football history with a 16-0, national championship run in 2004 under Southlake Carroll coach Todd Dodge.
Daniel ranks among the Dragons’ best quarterbacks because of his dual-threat speed, leadership, quick release and his passing touch. His ability to escape a blitz and find the open receiver served him well against top Texas teams and at Missouri, where Daniel was in the running for the Heisman Trophy in 2008.
Despite only two varsity seasons at quarterback, Daniel gained 11,252 total yards and 127 TDs, completing 529-of-811 passes for 8,298 yards. The 2004 EA Sports National High School Player of the Year led Southlake Carroll to a perfect 16-0 record in 2004, the 5A state championship and a national No. 1 ranking from USA Today and Student Sports Magazine. Daniel graduated a two-time state 5A Offensive Player of the Year. As a junior, Daniel threw for 3,681 yards and 42 TDs while rushing for 1,529 yards and 18 more TDs.
Bobby Reid, North Shore: 2002-2003
Class of 2004
His name may not been in any of the Texas history record books in the passing category, but there’s no doubt that true high school football fans know the name of North Shore’s Bobby Reid.
A true dual-threat quarterback, Reid got two solid seasons at one of the state’s top football programs. As a junior, he had over 1,100 yards passing and 13 touchdowns to go with another 815 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground.
Quickly becoming a household name, Reid would take his game to another level leading his team to a perfect 16-0 season , beating out a tough Woodlands team 23-7 in the Texas 5A Division I championship. In his final season, Reid was good for 2,650 yards and 38 total touchdowns. For his numbers during his senior year, the Touchdown Club of Houston named him the Offensive Player of the Year.
Then, listed on all national recruiting Top 100 list the year prior to his senior and known as a big, strong quarterback, nearly every school across the country wanted to get in on him. In August 2003, he made the call to Oklahoma State. He excelled there for a few seasons, then left the program to return home and suit up for the hometown Texas Southern team.
Close call (3)
Riley Dodge, Southlake Carroll: 2006-2007
In a long line of top Southlake quarterbacks, this could not be complete without Dodge, who threw for 54 touchdowns in 2006 putting him tied for No. 6 on the all-time list. As a junior, he led the Dragons to a 16-0 season capping it off with a win over Austin Westlake in the final. On the college front, Dodge was once committed to Texas, but decided to play for his father, Todd, at North Texas where he will start in 2009.
Colt McCoy, Jim Ned: 2002-2004
In the state for the class of 2005, McCoy was the No.1 quarterback prospect in the state according to Scout.com. For career touchdown passes and yards, McCoy makes the list. He signed with Texas in 2005 and was a runner up for the Heisman Trophy this past year.
Phillip Daugherty, Bridgeport: 2000-2002
Daugherty’s name is mentioned all through the Texas record books in many categories including career passing yards and attempts. After his prep career, he signed with Texas Tech. After a few years as a red Raider, he transferred to Sam Houston State.
Honorable Mention (4)
Reggie McNeal, Lufkin (2003); Jevan Snead, Stephenville (2006), Rhett Bomar, Grand Prairie (2004), Matthew Stafford, Highland Park (2006)