RISING STARS
All eyes are watching to see cast of newest local quarterbacks for fall season
Some of the area’s most compelling storylines in the quarterback department in 2020 revolve around players that have yet to take a snap at the varsity level or will be seniors in their first year starting under center for their team.
West Bloomfield’s Alex Short takes the reins for the Lakers two years after coming over to the OAA from Bloomfield Hills Cranbrook and has several Division I college football programs keeping tabs on his development. He was the Lakers’ backup last season as a junior. Morgan State and Alabama A&M offered this month and a number of Big Ten and MAC schools are making contact.
Short (6-4) checks a lot of boxes for what college scouts are looking for in a field general. The size, mobility, arm-strength, dedication and intelligence factors are all in place when analyzing his skill set.
“This fall is Alex’s time to shine,” West Bloomfield head coach Ron Bellamy said. “We’re giving him the keys to lead our program. I know he’s ready for that responsibility and I am eager to see him flourish running our offense.”
Bellamy’s Lakers have won a total of 30 games the last three years and has sent its last three quarterbacks to the Division I college level. The 2019 team went 10-2 with Ohio University-bound C.J. Harris calling signals.
Southfield A&T freshman Isaiah Marshall is the No. 1 ninth-grade signal caller in the state and will start immediately for the Warriors. Michigan, Maryland and Kentucky have already offered. Scouts peg Marshall (5-10) an RPO phenom and are projecting a monster high school career for him the next four years.
“There are a lot of expectations for Isaiah right now, but he’s the kind of kid that can handle them. He’s very mature and very composed for his age,” A&T head coach Tim Conley said. “We’re not going to have to simplify anything for him, He’s a fast learner and we’re just going to let him play his game.”
Birmingham Groves senior Jack Woods and Orchard Lake St. Mary’s senior Jason Ross are dual-threat players entering their first season at the helm of their squads’ respective offenses and were both offered by Valparaiso last month. Woods (6-1) is the point guard on Groves’ basketball team. Ross (6-1) was a wide receiver on St. Mary’s 2019 club that captured Catholic League and district titles.
Walled Lake Western’s Drew Viotto is a true diaper dandy that is still another year away from starting for the Warriors due to the program being currently anchored by senior Zach Trainor, Oakland County’s top passer last year. Viotto has been turning heads this offseason with his performance on the camp circuit.
The sturdily built, 6-4 sophomore picked up his first Power 5 offer last week from Syracuse. He received offers from Central Michigan and Bowling Green back in the spring and was recently invited to the Elite Underclassmen Camp run by the Underclassmen Report scouting service out of Boston. Viotto moved to the United States last year from Sault St. Marie, Canada.