Burnet begins 7-on-7 league looking for standout quarterback
STAFF WRITER JENNIFER FIERRO
BURNET — When the Burnet High School football program begins its annual 7-on-7 league May 1, the Bulldogs will be looking for a starting quarterback to fill the shoes of graduating senior Kobe Edwards.
Though head coach Kurt Jones declined to name names, he did say the team has some candidates for the job in 2017.
“We have a handful working at it right now,” he said. “We have a couple of leaders. I don’t want to throw out any names. We hope someone rises to the top and gives us a great starting quarterback. It’s always interesting this time of year to see who’s climbing to the surface.”
Quarterback isn’t the only offensive position coaches need to fill. Burnet will graduate its starting fullback, starting running back, and the majority of its receivers from a team that went 7-4 overall and 2-3 in District 13-4A Division I and had a 42-6 bi-district loss to Taylor in 2016.
One returning player is rising senior athlete Sterling Galban, who recently committed to Big 12 program Iowa State University. He caught 59 passes for 724 yards and nine touchdowns and had eight carries for 45 yards and a score last season.
Galban’s versatility will give coaches options, and he’s an athlete who does much for the Bulldogs.
“He’s had that offer for a couple of weeks,” Jones said about the ISU commitment. “That was his fifth offer. Sterling has had a great spring. He’s our most explosive receiver.”
Another receiver who coaches believe will have a breakout year is rising senior Ian Carter, a state track qualifier in the hurdles a year ago.
“He’s a young receiver that’s doing some good things,” Jones said. “We feel like we’ll have a chance to put together a good offense.”
The coach said he feels good about the offensive linemen as well.
“We feel like we have some good bodies,” he said.
Newly hired defensive coordinator Casey Carr will be evaluating the defense with one objective.
“We want to make sure we find 11 tough kids who can run and tackle,” Jones said. “We want to put all the pieces together.”
With 20 seniors leaving, a lot of experience will be lost, but the team has been there before, and Jones said his staff and players embrace the thought that rivals might be counting out Burnet in 2017.
“I think we’ve had a little bit of a chip on our shoulders, including the last couple of years when people wanted to count us out, especially in a tough district that we play in,” he said. “Our kids each year wear that chip and have something to prove. I think it gives you an edge.”
Burnet played powerhouses Waco La Vega and Liberty Hill in district last season.
Jones said the players have already started football-related drills during their class period.
“(The 7-on-7 league) adds to it,” he said. “We’ll have a lot more hours of reps.”
The league is Mondays at 5:30 p.m. at Bulldog Field, 1000 The Green Mile. Along with Burnet, Marble Falls, Llano, and Lampasas are participating. Contests will help quarterbacks build rapport with their receivers and defensive backs improve their cover skills.