From catching touchdowns to catching snaps from the center.
After not playing quarterback for seven years, junior Hunter Maxwell gets another shot at throwing touchdowns for the JV football team. Having sophomore Kamran Brown go down with a serious concussion, someone needed to take over the offense.
“I was honestly really nervous before the first game [as quarterback],” Maxwell said. “I was mainly focused on getting my nerves out first.”
Starting the year as JV A-teams backup slot receiver and eventually building up to be the team’s starting quarterback was not anticipated by anyone on the team. Maxwell eventually earned the starting spot at JV A-team slot receiver and not much longer he was needed in the backfield.
“Hunter was one of those guys where we trusted him, did everything that coaches asked for him to do,” Coach Kendall Catalon said. “Just by the team’s respect for him he just gave us the best chance to win, and that’s what he did for us.”
Being a natural leader for the JV team had helped Maxwell gain confidence and authority for the offense and overall team. Amongst being respected by the players, he gained the trust and faith from the coaches.
“He gave great effort, was able to command the offense,” Coach Catalon said. “He did the best he could and I’m proud of him.”
Throughout persevering through the new position, he took the challenge and the opportunity and he ran with it.
“People see quarterbacks play and they think half the time they could do better, especially the people watching the games,” Maxwell said. “It’s a lot harder than it looks, there are aspects to the position that people don’t see.”
Having doubt from the people in the bleachers and within the classrooms didn’t stop Maxwell for putting his all into the game. These pressures only helped motivate Maxwell to step up and defy expectations to lead the entire offense.
“I got to control the offense and who got the ball,” Maxwell said. “Which was really cool since I’m used to only getting the ball if it’s thrown to me.”
