Photo by Sarah Morales
Tenth-Grade QB Shines In District
Although the 2013 football season did not end as most had planned or wished, first-year quarterback Josh Jung leads the district and is currently 2nd in the Southeast Texas Area in passing yards. Some may think of the season as a sub-par year for the team, but Jung showed that there might be hope for the team in the future.
Prior to the season, the quarter back situation was “iffy” as to who would win the starting job. The competitors, Steven Cardone, Jacob Vasquez, Josh Jung, and Brody Killough, got together with receivers and other teammates in order to prepare for any of the four to win the job. Ultimately, Steven Cardone won the heated position battle. But, after a temperate performance by the team in the first two games, the coaches had to look for other options.
Backups Jacob Vasquez and Josh Jung “split time,” Brody Killough asked to move down to Junior Varsity for more playing time, and the battle seemed to have begun all over again. Three weeks later, Jung would win the first-string position after multiple impressive performances and a season-ending injury for Jacob Vasquez.
“We didn’t really know who the quarterback was in the summer, so all of us started working out together and all of us started getting a good bond,” wide receiver Ashten Glenn, 12, said. “He stepped up and the numbers he’s been putting up now as a sophomore are great.”
According to MySA.com, Josh recorded 2,348 passing yards and 21 touchdowns. As a sophomore, these totals are almost unbelievable for a player in his first varsity season.
“It’s all based on the offense,” Junior Varsity Quarterback Brody Killough, 10, said. “We have a pass-first offense and that really helps him and sets up an environment for him to put up those numbers.”
On the other hand, many fans and students believe Josh Jung to just be another over-glorified excuse for people to continue to root for the team. While he does lead the league in interceptions, with ten, the sophomore quarterback has done more than just “throw picks.”
“His stats speak for himself,” Glenn said. “Interceptions are just some mistakes, but he’s still young and has a lot of time to improve.”
Acting as one of the main stars of the team gives Jung a lot of responsibility on and off the field. Despite his age, he has been able to step up and be a leader for the Brahma Football team.
“Even though he’s a young kid, the seniors have really embraced him,” Head Coach Ben Cook said. “The guys have really kind of rallied around him and they support him.”
One of the most remarkable things of Josh’s success is that football is not even his primary sport.
“Baseball’s really my passion,” Josh Jung, 10, said. “I want to go to UT (University of Texas-Austin) and play baseball.”
In the end, the 6′ 1″ quarterback is just another humble player vying for a win every week. Josh thinks more of the team than he truly does of himself.
“It’s not really me, it’s everyone else that’s producing and I’m able to produce as well,” he said. “I’m very thankful that my lineman block for me and my receivers catch the passes.”
