How Germantown loss sparked Houston QB Chandler Day’s record-setting season
Chandler Day remembers the week he found out he was going to get his first career varsity start. It was a mix of emotions.
It was halfway through his freshman year at Houston when starting quarterback Jeremiah Salem went out with an injury.
When Day found out he was starting he was ecstatic. Then gameday the nerves set it. It didn’t help it was at Whitehaven.
“Knowing that you have that starting spot is a big responsibility and it’s a lot of pressure,” Day said. “But I didn’t want to shy away from it; I enjoyed every second of it.”
Day didn’t realize what the trajectory of his high school career would be. His dad Collins Day, an assistant at Houston, and the rest of the coaching staff saw it though.
Since he was playing little league football with the Germantown Football League (GFL), the coaches around him and his dad were preparing him for this moment.
“In the GFL, the whole goal was to see these kids here,” Collins Day said.
In Friday night’s win over Collierville in the TSSAA football playoffs, the junior passed for 235 yards and three touchdowns. His last touchdown set the record for career passing touchdowns at Houston at 56. Ethan Burns set the record at 55 in 2019.
When Houston (10-2) plays at Germantown (12-0) on Friday night in the TSSAA football quarterfinals, Day has a chance to break another one of Burns’ records. He’s three touchdown passes shy of breaking the single season record, which is 31.
“It was surreal,” Day said. “I’ve known Ethan for a long time. … Just watching him, I thought he was the greatest player of all time.”
Ethan Burns knew Chandler Day would break his Houston records
Burns helped Houston reach the state semifinals in 2019, and he always knew Day would break his records. That’s something he told Day, who he mentored while he was at Houston.
“He’s the only quarterback I’d like to see beat my records,” Burns said
Day and Burns grew up around each other and grew close through football
and baseball. Collins Day is also an assistant with Houston’s baseball team. Day’s dad said it was bittersweet to see his son break one of his former player’s record.
“It meant a lot because Ethan is big fan,” said Collins Day, who also coached Burns.
Burns still keeps up with Day, attends some Houston games and has enjoyed watching his protégé achieve everything he expected him to.
“Take care of the little things, take what they give you,” Day said of some of the advice Burns has shared with him over the years.
It was one thing to tell him to break his records back then; it’s another witnessing it.
“Just watching him in middle school, you could tell this kid was going to be different,” Burns said.
Commanding the offense
The way Day runs the Houston offense, it’s hard to tell he’s a junior. The confidence he has under center, the reads he makes on the field and the patience he plays with are all part of the swagger he’s brought to one of the most explosive offenses in the Memphis area.
Houston is on a nine-game win streak and hasn’t lost since Week 3 vs Germantown. Day had 109 passing yards with a touchdown, an interception and 32 rushing yards in the 14-13 loss.
That game was a turning point for Day and the offense. Entering the quarterfinals, Day has 2,039 passing yards with 29 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has 236 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
“It made us more hungry,” Day said of the loss to Germantown. “... We’ve had
this game circled for a long time; we’re excited for it.”
Since then, the Houston offense has averaged nearly 41 points per game.
While a subtle coaching change is part of the reason, Day’s ability to command the offense has been a large part in the Mustangs’ dominance.
“He’s got a warrior mentality,” said Ronnie Thompson, who is offensive coordinator at Houston. “He competes every play, every single down.”
His confidence comes from his experience. It also helps when he has options like Damon Sisa, Shawne Jones, Andre Allen and Owen Waggener around him who make the offense go.
The one piece of history he’s eyeing is winning the school’s first state title. They believe they can this season and getting past Germantown would put them one win closer.
“We want a state title,” Day said.