Embodiment of a QB

PINE BLUFF -- Tyler Foots started at quarterback for the Pine Bluff Zebras as a sophomore, but he had been groomed for the position long before the 2017 season.

"We found Tyler in the sixth grade," Pine Bluff Coach Bobby Bolding said.

To be truthful, Foots' instructions on becoming a signal caller started long before he caught the eye of the Zebras coaching staff in an elementary school physical education class.

"My dad taught me to be a quarterback," Foots said. "It was the only [position] he wanted me to play."

Anthony Foots, Tyler's father, also played high school football for Pine Bluff. Anthony was an offensive lineman for the Zebras, but he did not train Tyler to play in the trenches.

"I don't know how he knew these things, but he taught me how to hold the ball, how to throw it," Tyler Foots said. "We would be in the yard every day, playing catch."

Last fall, Pine Bluff's opponents found Foots to be a worthy adversary. He threw for 1,857 yards and 28 touchdowns. He ran for 943 yards and scored an additional 10 TDs on the ground.

Bolding said the Zebras kept the offense as simple as possible for their young quarterback in 2017.

"We asked him to do things that he was capable of doing as a sophomore," Bolding said. "We didn't put too much on him mentally. We just let him play. I think the stats show that. ... He completed 58 percent of his passes and that's not bad for a sophomore, especially in 6A."

Foots completed at least one touchdown pass in all 13 of the Zebras' games in 2017, including a 5-TD, 289-yard performance against Jonesboro on Oct. 6. He was intercepted only 10 times all season.

It helped that Foots had two quality experienced receivers in his first season as the Zebras quarterback. Jyrimee Thompson and Diaundre Ellison combined for 1,544 yards and 23 TDs last year in their senior season.

"They made me a better quarterback," Foots said. "They pushed me every day in practice."

"We put him in a good position to be successful," Bolding said. "He had some guys around him that could make some plays. I thought we did a real good job of finding touchdown passes as a coaching staff. Finding someone in the secondary doing something they should not be doing and calling the right play at the right time to attack it."

Although Foots no longer has Thompson and Ellison as targets, the 5-11 junior is stronger and more experienced to be a team leader. And Pine Bluff has no shortage of talented receivers to replace last season's standouts.

Rod Stinson caught 14 passes for 259 yards and 4 TDs in 2017. Senior Michael Johnson missed 2017 with an injury.

"Rod is a heckuva football player," Bolding said. "And Johnson would have been a three-year starter. He can fly, he's 6-2, 200 and he's strong."

Building chemistry between Foots and his receivers should not be a problem, said Stinson.

"We know each other well," Stinson said. "We had chemistry last year and I think it's going to carry over into this year."

"The chemistry is not where I want it to be but it's getting there," Foots said. "And it's going to be there before the season starts."

Keeping the game plan simple worked well for Foots and the Zebras in 2017. Pine Bluff won 11 of 13 games and reached the Class 6A title game by limiting its offensive options. Foots used a lot of three-step drop plays and was not forced to make a lot of defensive reads. This year, there will be a demand for Foots to expand his offensive arsenal.

"We had to use formations to create space on the field," Bolding said. "We kept his thinking on the field to a minimum and just let him be a player. This year, obviously we're going to ask him to do more. He's bigger, stronger and faster than last year.

"We're going to be able to run more option. We'll do the run-pass option as well and make him think. In a five-step drop game we'll be asking him to read coverage."

Bolding thinks Foots can handle a more demanding role.

"I promise you there's not many in his class that's got an arm like he's got," Bolding said. "I know there are some big-timers out there. I'd like to see them throw against him because he's got a cannon. He can put it where he wants it. And he can put it on the run, too."

Sports on 08/18/2018