Plant High Quarterback Competition Loaded This Spring

Last season, junior Aaron Banks and senior battled it out for that starting wink as Plant High's quarterback.

Few was an early favorite, thanks to his size and seniority and by the start of the regular season, Few was the clear-cut starter. Banks still found his way onto the field, as he actually provided a nice change of pace to Few being more of a runner.

This year is a different story. Banks will most likely hold the inside track.

"He has a lot of experience in our system and is familiar with the nomenclature we use," said head coach Robert Weiner. "He's also taken his game to the next level."

"This year, I think I grasp the offense a little better," Banks said. "I'm able to focus in on direct things, while last year I was more looking at the whole picture."

Banks will be pressed by a couple guys he already knows and one he doesn't.

Rising junior Kyle Groh will make a push for playing time. He snuck in 13 pass attempts in 2011 and threw a touchdown.

"He's a real student of the game and a great team player," Weiner said of Groh. "He brings a lot to the table."

"This kind of competition just makes us all better," Groh said. "Even if I don't get the starting job, I know I'll be better based on the competition."

Maybe the most physically impressive is rising sophomore Kyle Ploucher. Ploucher stayed on JV in the fall but participated in all of the varisty 7-on-7 competitions from last spring and summer.

"He's got a live arm and can really spin it," said Weiner. "He works as hard as anybody and has a real desire to learn."

Rounding out the group is rising sophomore Colby Brown, a transfer from Orlando-area Olympia High School. He led the Titans to a 7-5 record and regional semifinal appearance while throwing for more than 1,600 yards and 11 touchdowns.

"He's had a whole year of experience, and that's very valuable," said Weiner. "The ball really pops out of his hands, and it hasn't taken him long to pick up our system."

There's no getting Weiner to tip his hand about which quarterback he will start in the fall. He probably has no idea himself, at this point. There's so much football left to sort it out — 7-on-7s at Skyway, spring football in May, summer tournaments, the preseason game. However, the race should be a good one, and it will likely come right down to the wire.