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08-16-2010, 10:25 PM
http://nky.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...1/8150335/
There was a time when an uber-talented underclassman, even one with varsity experience, could sneak into a high school football season under the radar.
That time is long gone.
Northern Kentucky's Exhibit A: Dixie Heights junior Zeke Pike.
Pike has yet to take a meaningful snap as a varsity quarterback and already he has some of the country's premiere college programs extending him scholarship offers. And if all the preseason attention he's receiving from college coaches, recruiting websites and fan chatboards is true, he's not just the Colonels' next signal caller. He's the area's next big thing.
His list of scholarship offers would be impressive if he was a senior and two-year starter. As a relative newcomer to varsity football and a neophyte to his position, his offer sheet (Florida, Kentucky, Louisville, Purdue, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Texas A&M, Alabama, Auburn and Arkansas among others) is shocking.
"Recruiting starts early now," Pike said. "Kids get offers as freshmen. You've got to be ahead of the game. I knew this summer was going to be big - getting out to camps and throwing. Obviously, I didn't play varsity quarterback last season, so the word wasn't out there as much. If I wanted to get recruited early, I had to do my part.
"It's getting kind of crazy. Word spreads fast."
Pike's size (6-5, 230) and pedigree - he's the son of former NFL veteran Mark Pike - drew attention from recruiters last season. He played outside linebacker and tight end for the Colonels on varsity while quarterbacking the program's JV team.
"He never played quarterback until his freshman year," said Dixie Heights coach Tom Spritzky, who last season gave the varsity job to senior Ryan Wilson. "We let him play JV last year because we were pretty sure he was going to be our quarterback this year. He needed the reps and we really didn't have another quarterback down there."
Spritzky said Pike was predictably sloppy but showed signs of brilliance. During one JV game, the right-hander scrambled to his left on a broken play. After breaking a tackle near the sideline, he turned and threw an off-balance and ill-advised pass to the far corner of the end zone. It went for a touchdown.
"All us coaches just kind of shook our heads," said Spritzky. "We've never had a kid that could do that."
Spritzky has been the head coach at Dixie for 15 seasons. During that time his teams have consistently been among the area's most prolific passing squads. Based on the early reviews of Pike's maturation of a quarterback, this year should be no different.
"He's a monster. And he's got arm strength and accuracy," said Dixie senior receiver Bobby Leonard. "He puts a lot of heat on the ball - a lot more than we're used to. But it's nothing we can't handle. We can't make excuses about it. If there's one thing this team has, it's plenty of receivers."
Pike should have his choice of targets. Leonard will team with Goose Cohorn and Seth Bruns to form a formidable pass-catching trio. But the big signal caller also will be quick to tuck it and run.
"I think he'll be as much of an asset running the ball as he will be throwing it," Spritzky said. "He's faster than people think. He's not the shiftiest or quickest guy. But when he gets going straight ahead, he's as fast as anybody we have on our team."
Therein lies Pike's potential. Whether he becomes the best quarterback in the state or looks like an athlete playing out of position, the college offers likely will remain on the table. For every college coach who recruits him as a quarterback, there is a college staff thinking of different ways to use him.
"Some of these schools are offering just based on his athleticism, some already like him as quarterback," said Spritzky. "Mostly I think they're waiting to see how this year goes."
There was a time when an uber-talented underclassman, even one with varsity experience, could sneak into a high school football season under the radar.
That time is long gone.
Northern Kentucky's Exhibit A: Dixie Heights junior Zeke Pike.
Pike has yet to take a meaningful snap as a varsity quarterback and already he has some of the country's premiere college programs extending him scholarship offers. And if all the preseason attention he's receiving from college coaches, recruiting websites and fan chatboards is true, he's not just the Colonels' next signal caller. He's the area's next big thing.
His list of scholarship offers would be impressive if he was a senior and two-year starter. As a relative newcomer to varsity football and a neophyte to his position, his offer sheet (Florida, Kentucky, Louisville, Purdue, Oklahoma State, Iowa, Texas A&M, Alabama, Auburn and Arkansas among others) is shocking.
"Recruiting starts early now," Pike said. "Kids get offers as freshmen. You've got to be ahead of the game. I knew this summer was going to be big - getting out to camps and throwing. Obviously, I didn't play varsity quarterback last season, so the word wasn't out there as much. If I wanted to get recruited early, I had to do my part.
"It's getting kind of crazy. Word spreads fast."
Pike's size (6-5, 230) and pedigree - he's the son of former NFL veteran Mark Pike - drew attention from recruiters last season. He played outside linebacker and tight end for the Colonels on varsity while quarterbacking the program's JV team.
"He never played quarterback until his freshman year," said Dixie Heights coach Tom Spritzky, who last season gave the varsity job to senior Ryan Wilson. "We let him play JV last year because we were pretty sure he was going to be our quarterback this year. He needed the reps and we really didn't have another quarterback down there."
Spritzky said Pike was predictably sloppy but showed signs of brilliance. During one JV game, the right-hander scrambled to his left on a broken play. After breaking a tackle near the sideline, he turned and threw an off-balance and ill-advised pass to the far corner of the end zone. It went for a touchdown.
"All us coaches just kind of shook our heads," said Spritzky. "We've never had a kid that could do that."
Spritzky has been the head coach at Dixie for 15 seasons. During that time his teams have consistently been among the area's most prolific passing squads. Based on the early reviews of Pike's maturation of a quarterback, this year should be no different.
"He's a monster. And he's got arm strength and accuracy," said Dixie senior receiver Bobby Leonard. "He puts a lot of heat on the ball - a lot more than we're used to. But it's nothing we can't handle. We can't make excuses about it. If there's one thing this team has, it's plenty of receivers."
Pike should have his choice of targets. Leonard will team with Goose Cohorn and Seth Bruns to form a formidable pass-catching trio. But the big signal caller also will be quick to tuck it and run.
"I think he'll be as much of an asset running the ball as he will be throwing it," Spritzky said. "He's faster than people think. He's not the shiftiest or quickest guy. But when he gets going straight ahead, he's as fast as anybody we have on our team."
Therein lies Pike's potential. Whether he becomes the best quarterback in the state or looks like an athlete playing out of position, the college offers likely will remain on the table. For every college coach who recruits him as a quarterback, there is a college staff thinking of different ways to use him.
"Some of these schools are offering just based on his athleticism, some already like him as quarterback," said Spritzky. "Mostly I think they're waiting to see how this year goes."
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08-16-2010, 10:53 PM
I know this kid is most likely going to be really good but that is crazy having that much hype on a kid that has never started a varisty game. I'm sure he did good with the 7 on7 but when u put the pads on its different. I've seen them get some hype but maybe not this much hype and be a flop. (not going to mention any names) I really hope he does great because I like it when Ky boys do good, but that to much hype on one kid yet complete a varsity pass yet.
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