Brock Vandagriff, A Leader of Men at the Quarterback Position
The nation got to see Brock Vandagriff's skill set on full display Friday night against Rabun County in a hard-fought 38 to 31 loss to a football team led by South Carolina commit, Gunner Stockton.
And sure, the arm strength, the physical nature, and the athletic ability of Vandagriff could be conveyed through the television screen, there was more to his performance than the statistics show, or the highlights provide.
What I saw was a leader. A leader of young men.
I know. It's sounds cliche. It sounds as if I'm ignoring the three interceptions. It sounds as if I'm ignoring the loss, but if you saw — and heard — what I did for four quarters from a senior in high school, you'd be saying the same thing. So, as a writer, albeit an average one, I'll do my best to describe exactly what I observed on Friday night in the mountains of Northeast Georgia.
For starters, there are no highs and lows with Vandagriff. From the moment the young man steps foot onto the football field, he's one constant level headed football player. It's something that sounds simple, and sure he shows emotion when needed, but he's cool at all times and that's something that's not exactly a given nowadays with players of his caliber while in the national spotlight.
As you'd expect from a coach's son, he's quite literally a coach on the field. I counted numerous times in the midst of a tight football game during critical downs where Vandagriff is signaling to his coaching staff on the sideline exactly the play he wanted to be called. To see the staff not only oblige the young man with the play he wanted but for it to be the right play as well was next level.
On a muggy night in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, you'd expect a wet surface on a natural grass field. It was Vandagriff that was calling for new footballs during drives in order to ensure his team had the best opportunity to catch and carry the football.
But the most impressive thing I witnessed from Vandagriff on Friday night, happened in the midst of the third quarter with his team down two scores, and it occurred with him on the sideline watching his defense attempt to stop a Rabun team that was driving the length of the field.
I consider myself rather knowledgable when it comes to the game of football. I'm no Bill Belicheck, but I pride myself on knowing the ins and outs of the game, and I've honestly never witnessed what I'm about to attempt to convey to you.
Prince Avenue's starting cornerback goes down with what appeared to be either a cramp, or some minor lower-leg injury, and as I'm standing next to Vandagriff on the sideline before his coaching staff even had the opportunity to see one of their players down. Before the training staff even thought about running onto the field, Vandagriff was shouting for that player's backup to begin getting loose.
"DAVE!" He shouts. "Dave, start getting loose." As the coaching staff finally begins to recognize what is happening.
It all seems so simple, but I've been on the sidelines with prospects that barely know what their counterparts are doing, let alone attentive enough to not only identify there's an injury but aware enough to know exactly who the player designated to replace the injured player is.
That is leadership.
That is something that the stars, the rankings, the statistics will never show you. Sure, I could rave about the arm talent. I could rave about the ability to make plays with his legs, to make dynamic throws on the run.
But that? I've never seen that from a player.
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