Fayetteville Coach Daryl Patton used a two-quarterback system in the team’s three nonconference games to answer the Bulldogs’ single biggest question.
Sophomore Taylor Powell and junior Jack Lindsey shared the snaps early in the season, but the Bulldogs’ veteran coach turned to the young guy when it came time for 7A-West Conference play.
Powell didn’t let his coach or his teammates down when he became entrenched as the starter. He led Fayetteville to its second Class 7A state championship game in three seasons, where it lost 24-21 to Bentonville.
Powell’s impressive run as a quarterback in the state’s largest classification has earned him recognition as the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette’s All-Arkansas Preps Sophomore of the Year.
Powell, 6-1, 200 pounds, completed 172 of 271 passes for 2,513 yards with 20 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.
“We knew he could throw the football,” Patton said. “He has the arm strength you want. The game was fast for him in the spring. During the summer he made huge strides in 7-on-7. He continued to get better.”
That was certainly the case in the playoffs.
Fayetteville beat visiting Cabot 35-14 in the opening round of the Class 7A playoffs, setting up a showdown the following week at top-ranked Conway. Powell completed 5 of 10 passes for 96 yards and 2 touchdowns against the Wampus Cats, but he managed the game well enough as the Bulldogs handed Conway is first and only loss of the season, 42-35.
That moved the Bulldogs into the semifinals, something that Patton pointed out Brandon and Austin Allen — both of whom now play for the Arkansas Razorbacks — failed to accomplish as sophomores when they played quarterback at Fayetteville.
Powell followed the victory at Conway with his best game of the season Nov. 29, when Fayetteville defeated Fort Smith Southside 56-14 to move the Bulldogs into the state championship game. Powell completed 20 of 22 passes for 219 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Bulldogs took a 28-0 lead into halftime against the Rebels.
Patton said the game slowed down for Powell in the playoffs.
“You could just see that he took a breath,” Patton said. “He didn’t play uptight. He had a great game against Cabot. He managed the game against Conway.
“Against Southside and Bentonville, the kid played like a senior.”
Patton said the next step for Powell is improving his accuracy during the offseason after the quarterback threw eight interceptions this season.
Patton recalled that Brandon Allen threw 20 interceptions as a sophomore at Fayetteville, then studied film of each of his interceptions with Patton and former assistant Jared McBride. The next season, Allen had six interceptions and led Fayetteville to the 2011 Class 7A state title.
“If Taylor will come back and cut that in half, he’ll be a much better quarterback,” Patton said. “He’ll get bigger and stronger in the weight room and work on his mobility.”
Fayetteville loses several key players from its 2014 runner-up team, such as Arkansas signees C.J. O’Grady (tight end) and Dre Greenlaw (wide receiver/safety), but Patton said he is confident the Bulldogs will be fine with Powell returning under center.
“He’ll be a much more confident quarterback,” Patton said. “He’s been there and done that. You won’t see the nervousness or uptightness.”