We're into the single digits now, folks...hold up both hands and then hide one thumb. If you already have no thumb, I sincerely apologize.
We've got 9 days until kickoff, so today I'll highlight the player that wears #9 on the Broncos' roster—Grant Hedrick
#9, Grant Hedrick, Sophomore, QB
Stats
Height: 6'0"
Weight: 192 lbs.
High School: Central High School, Independence, OR
How'd he get to The Blue™?
Hedrick put up some seriously sick statitude at Central High School, and was rewarded for it by being named the Oregon High School State Player of the Year as a senior. Hedrick was voted second-team all-state as a junior and was an all-state honorable mention as a sophomore. Hedrick was selected first-team all-conference three times and was named the Valco League Player of the Year as a junior and senior. His senior season, he completed 65 percent of his passes, throwing for over 2,500 yards and 34 touchdowns with just one interception. A a senior, he also rushed for over 1,500 yards scored 17 TDs on the ground. As a junior, Hedrick threw for over 3,100 yards, with a 41-7 TD/INT ratio and rushed for 1,200 yards and 13 scores. His sophomore season was a doozy as well, as he completed 67 percent of his passes, with 2,600 passing yards, 31 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Hedrick was rated a 3-star prospect by both Rivals.com and Scout.com and jumped on his first offer from the Broncos...likely scaring off any other potential suitors.
Nickname
"Tuck"
A running QB's natural instinct
nl
Look-alike
Private Joker from Full Metal Jacket
Career highlights
Made 8 game appearances as a redshirt freshman in 2011, mainly as read/speed option QB—rushed 8 times for 70 yards and a score. Named Oregon State high school player of the year as a senior at Central high in 2010. Passed for 8,200 yards and 106 TDs in high school with only 17 interceptions.
2012 prospectus
Though the starting quarterback has yet to be officially named, the writing appears to be firmly on the wall, and nearly everyone is expecting junior Joe Southwick to be named the starter at some point in the next 9 days. What is slightly less clear is who will be Southwick's primary backup this season. If backup duties were determined by the Fall Scrimmage, then "yuck"...but the entirety of Fall Camp is taken into account and given Hedrick's seniority and playing time last season, it's hard to believe that he won't be holding the clipboard this year and first off the bench when we need to run a wildcat or speed option play or if the game is firmly in-hand.
Honestly, given Hedrick's ridiculous high school stats and the fact that he was a coaches son made thoughts dance in my head of a (much) more mobile Kellen Moore and I really thought that he'd put a bit more pressure on Southwick to start. Of course, once Nick Patti was signed and on campus...those same thoughts turned to the true frosh. At the end of the day, maybe I'm just intrigued at what a "true" option QB could do with our offense—I'd forgotten what the Bronco coaches really value in a signal-caller. Southwick seems to embody those qualities the best of the current crop...for now and that's why I, and everyone else at this point, believe that he'll be our 2012 guy, but Hedrick has a unique skill set and the Broncos would be foolish not to utilize it. He can run, and that's exactly what I expect him to do, just in small doses now that Southwick looks like he'll get the lion's share of the reps. Hedrick will keep pushing though and that will be good for every QB on the roster.
Completely made up fact
Hedrick's mobile QB instinct to tuck the ball and run got him kicked off every soccer team he was ever on.