Mustangs’ Page in recovery no longer
Sidelined since last October, Friendswood quarterback ready to go this season
The offseason often feels like it is too long for high school football players. It’s different for Tyler Page. He has been waiting for the first game in 2015 six weeks longer than everyone else.
Page, the Friendswood junior quarterback, has been making a name for himself since he was called up to the varsity as a freshman. Last year he was beginning to show just how dangerous he was going to be when a broken collarbone cut his season short in early October.
The injury occured early in the Mustangs’ third district game. They went on to defeat Clear Springs, but the mood in the locker room was not as upbeat as it could have been.
“When I came off the sideline and the trainer told me (I would probably miss the rest of the season) I immediately started crying,” Page said. “Not because it hurt but because I realized I probably wouldn’t play that year. I was having the time of my life and it had come to an end.”
If Page can stay healthy this season it might be Friendswood’s opponents who are crying. He is back and better than ever.
The last two years he was known specifically as a running threat - capable of breaking off long touchdown runs on any play. Thanks to some extra work with offensive coordinator Nathan Roher, Page has developed into a capable passer.
In five full games last season Page was 13-of30 passing for 132 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Head coach Robert Koopman said Page’s weakness has turned into a strength.
“We were hoping he would throw well enough just to keep people honest, but now he’s throwing it really well,” Koopman said. “With his legs and to be able to do that it sure is hard to defend.”
Of course, the hardest part of his game to defend remains his running ability. In those same five games - with teams stacking the box against him and running back Sam Longbotham - last season he rushed 89 times for 640 yards (7.3 yards per carry) and scored 13 touchdowns.
His best game came against Brazoswood when he gained 340 yards on 27 carries and scored four touchdowns. Three of those touchdown runs came on gains of 59, 69 and 70 yards.
A lot of people saw that performance, but fewer saw the play Koopman always will remember as the best of Page’s first two seasons. It came in a scrimmage against Seven Lakes last year.
Friendswood was simply trying to run out the last few seconds of the half when Page ran around the end and bounced it outside. He didn’t stop until he had a 77-yard touchdown.
“That was pretty special and pretty shocking,” Koopman said. “I tell people the exciting thing about him is he can go at any time. He expects to do it every time.”
With Page healthy, Friendswood expects to be better in 2015 than it was in 2014. The Mustangs qualified for the playoffs in their first try at the state’s highest classification and defeated perennial power Hightower in the first round. They came up two points short against Dawson in the second round.
Friendswood has had deeper playoff runs and always had a star quarterback leading the way. First it was gunslingers Jacob Karam and Pete Maetzold. After that it was Jordan Wood, who like Page in his first two years, did almost all of his damage with his legs.
This year the Mustangs have a quarterback who can do both. That’s a big reason why Page hopes to lead Friendswood deep into the postseason.
“My first two years I didn’t quite have the arm to throw it a lot,” Page said. “This offseason I put in a lot of time in the weight room and on the field. I have gotten a lot better. Finally I am a dual threat, just like I was in middle school. I think I’ll be a new thing Friendswood hasn’t had yet.”