Coal City – When Independence takes the field Thursday against Liberty, the Patriots will do so with their fourth starting quarterback in as many years. Though this one may be their most dynamic.
A first-team all-state defensive back and Indy’s leading receiver a year ago, junior Trey Bowers will take his spot behind center, hoping to take the Patriots offense to a new level.
“He changes the dynamic of our offense a little bit because he’s a runner,” Indy head coach John H.Lilly said. “We’re doing a couple things a little bit different with him this year and seeing how he handles it. We feel like we’ve got one of the best athletes in the state there. He’s not the best but he’s one of the best.”
Bowers has backed up his coach’s claim in two separate sports.
On top of burning the Fairmont Senior defense for a deep touchdown catch in last season’s Class AA title game, Bowers was a state qualifier in the 100-meter dash. While that would lend itself to the thinking the Indy offense will feature him more as a runner, it also allows them to move the pocket. His top receiver, senior Cyrus Goodson likes the advantage that gives the Patriots.
As a receiver who’s caught passes from two different starting QBs coming into this season, he’s seen the variation in styles first-hand.
“He brings more speed than the other two and I think he can run just as well,” Goodson said. “I think just coming down to speed he can roll out and he’s a little faster on the ground. I think he’s better in that aspect.”
Bowers’ speed and athleticism will be a welcome sight for Lilly and Co. as they looked to replace a pair of record-setters in Kennedy Award winner Atticus Goodson and QB Logan Phalin. Phalin was a factor in the running game for the Patriots but was better as a deep passer. Goodson believes his new signal-caller can best his predecessors.
“I think he can throw a spiral a little better than the other two,” Goodson said. “Logan could throw the ball about 80 yards but you don’t know if it would duck mid-air. I think Trey is pretty consistent with his spiral.”
For Bowers the transition to QB hasn’t been all that difficult. As a receiver he’s had to learn all of the plays and run all of the routes so he has a feel and understanding for what each play requires. On top of that as a defensive back he’s also cognizant of how defenders will play him in the passing game.
“It’s been no different than preparing as a receiver,” Bowers said. “I’m still coming up to the field and working but I’m just throwing it instead of catching it. I feel like I really know the offense and that helps. I’ve played varsity for two years and it hasn’t really switched up a lot so coming in I was really confident.”
As confident as Bowers is, it often doesn’t project in his demeanor. A quieter kid, normally that wouldn’t mesh well at the QB position but the Patriots have already disproven that trope. With 19 returning starters, Indy has more than its share of capable leaders and Phalin, much like Bowers, was an introvert and that didn’t seem to impact a historic season.
“I feel like all the guys respect me and I respect them,” Bowers said. “When I get on the field I know I have to be loud and be a leader.”
Being the QB for a team that has title aspirations comes with its share of pressure and Bowers isn’t immune to that. Fortunately for him he’s not alone in deciding the outcome. Those 19 returning starters give the junior more than enough confidence that the offense can operate smoothly as he settles in.
“It adds pressure but I feel like I’m pretty confident in myself,” Bowers smiled. “I’ve got good teammates though that I know they’ll give me time back there. It’s just up to me to make the right decisions and throws but I’m really confident in them. I think they’re the best line in double-A and I think I have the best receiver in double-A. I’m pretty confident.”
With the pressure on while learning the most important position in the sport, the inclination would be to think the nuances of the position have been Bowers’ most difficult obstacle in transitioning. Instead the hard part has been leaving his previous position and love behind but he’s ready and embracing his new role, rediscovering an old love along the way.
“Probably just knowing how good of a receiver I was and how hard I worked at that,” Bowers laughed when asked what the hardest part of being a QB has been. “Really my dream when I was younger was to be a quarterback. But when I got to high school I really fell in love with receiver so I’m just trying to transition back to that love for quarterback.”
Email: tylerjackson@lootpress.com and follow on Twitter @tjack94
