PREP FOOTBALL: Nye enjoys successful season as Bentonville’s quarterback despite limited time at that position

Bentonville quarterback Carter Nye (7) carries the ball, Thursday, November 3, 2022 during a football game at Tiger Stadium.
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)
Bentonville quarterback Carter Nye (7) carries the ball, Thursday, November 3, 2022 during a football game at Tiger Stadium. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Charlie Kaijo)


BENTONVILLE -- The statistics Carter Nye has compiled during his first full season as Bentonville's quarterback have been impressive.

What makes the numbers more astounding is that he didn't get a chance to play the position until he was a freshman.

"I started football in the seventh grade, and they had me at receiver," Nye said. "They just wouldn't let me play quarterback. Finally, in the ninth grade was when it all started.

"I always wanted to play quarterback. I had messed around in the yard and stuff, but the junior high coach just didn't want me to. He wanted me to be a receiver. I had been working with them through junior high, then I got here and it was my turn."

The 6-1, 180-pound Nye has made the most of that turn as he has helped the Tigers reach the Class 7A state championship game for the first time since 2017. He started the season off on a high note as he became the first Bentonville quarterback to throw five touchdown passes in a game since Jody Grant became head coach in 2015.

Nye has gone on to complete 192 of 284 passes (67.6%) for 2,835 yards and 28 touchdowns with 3 interceptions heading into tonight's championship game against Bryant at Little Rock's War Memorial Stadium. Bentonville (11-1) seeks its first state championship since 2014.

"He handles situations of adversity as good as I've seen," Grant said. "He doesn't get rattled. He can handle the lows; he can handle the highs.

"He's a quiet kid, and he just does what we ask him to do. He's smart -- really smart -- and understands what we teach him. His accuracy and his release are all good. He's going to go down as one of the best quarterbacks to play in our program."

Despite the limited time that Nye has spent playing quarterback, there was something in him that Grant said he liked to see, even during junior varsity games. Grant said Nye brought a different element to the position, and it impressed the coaching staff enough that Nye was given a chance to share the quarterback duties near the midway point of the season.

He wound up playing seven of the Tigers' 11 games and completed 47 of 78 passes for 739 yards and 7 touchdowns with 2 interceptions. That included Bentonville's playoff game, when he threw for 139 yards and 2 touchdowns against North Little Rock.

"It definitely helped to have a little experience under my belt," Nye said. "But then I was just there playing last year. This year, I really started spending extra time understanding the game, and everything started slowing down for me.

"I just had to improve on the mental side of the game and understanding the game and what defenses are doing."

It didn't take Nye long to show his team what kind of season he would have this fall. In the season opener, he completed 11 of 18 passes for 269 yards and 5 touchdowns in a 56-46 victory at home over Broken Arrow, Okla.

His fifth touchdown pass, which came early in the fourth quarter, was something that stands out in Grant's mind. Nye had to step into the pocket to avoid a blitzing linebacker, then he leaped and threw a strike to C.J. Brown as he was hit by another defender and gave the Tigers a 42-32 lead.

"That had some wow factor to it," Grant said. "But he's also made some other nice throws that you don't see on a regular basis. People get caught up in touchdowns and get caught up in passing yardage. I like to look at completion percentage and interceptions because that's being an efficient quarterback.

"You can see quarterbacks throw for 4,000 or 5,000 yards and they also have 15 interceptions. I want to see guys that have a great touchdowns-to-interception ratio with a high completion percentage. Those are the guys I like operating our offense, and Carter meets that and does a great job."

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Class 7A State Championship

Bentonville vs. Bryant

WHERE War Memorial Stadium, Little Rock

KICKOFF 6 p.m.

RECORDS Bentonville 11-1. Bryant 11-0.

COACHES Bentonville — Jody Grant. Bryant — Buck James.

KEY PLAYERS Bentonville — RB Josh Ficklin (Sr., 5-11, 210), OL Joey Su’a (Sr., 6-5, 322), OL-DL Trevor Martinez (Sr., 6-3, 320), QB Carter Nye (Jr., 6-1, 170), WR C.J. Brown (Jr., 6-1, 185), WR-DB J.T. Tomescko (Sr., 6-2, 170), DE Ben Pearson (Jr., 6-2, 180), DB Johnny Pike (Sr., 5-10, 175), PK Logan Tymeson (Sr., 5-10, 145). Bryant — RB Chris Gannaway (Sr., 5-10, 180), WR Mytorian Singleton (Jr., 6-0, 185), QB Jordan Walker (So., 6-1, 220), DL Tyler Mosley (Sr., 5-10, 260).

THE SCOOP It’s a matchup between conference champions as Bentonville won the 7A-West while Bryant took the 7A-Central title. … It’s the fifth meeting since 2008, and Bentonville has won the previous four meetings, including a 44-14 victory over Bryant in the 2017 Class 7A semifinals. … Common opponents between the two teams are Conway, Cabot, Rogers and North Little Rock. Bryant defeated all four teams, including Conway twice in a matter of three weeks, while Bentonville defeated Cabot, Rogers and North Little Rock but lost to Conway in Week 1. … Three Bentonville players are within reach of offensive milestones — Ficklin is 13 yards short of 1,500 yards rushing, Nye needs 165 yards to reach the 3,000-yard mark passing, and C.J. Brown needs 158 yards to reach the 1,500-yard mark in receiving. … Bryant enters the game with a 21-game win streak and a 52-game win streak against in-state competition. … The Hornets seek to become the first team to win five straight state title since Little Rock Central won six in a row from 1952-57. … Walker has thrown for 1,707 yards on 119 of 196 passing with 17 TDs and 11 interceptions. … James Martin and Gannaway have combined for 1,068 yards and 23 TDs rushing, while Singleton leads the Hornets with 36 receptions for 572 yards and 6 TDs.

OUR TAKE Bentonville 31, Bryant 28.

— Henry Apple

 


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