Baylor lands another quarterback

Coming Sunday, Monday:

A look at Tennessee and Georgia area high school spring practice plans

Another quarterback has fallen into the fold known as Baylor School football.

The Red Raiders inherited Jacob Huesman in 2009 when Russ Huesman, his father, was handed the reins as coach at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Then in 2012, Michael O'Connor, who would later sign with Penn State, showed up from Canada.

Now it's Wil Austin, a 6-foot-2, 205-pounder from Brownsville, Tenn., whose father played for Baylor coach Phil Massey when he coached at Haywood County.

Huesman, who won a duel with Matthew Oellerich for the starting role at Baylor, has carved a name for himself in Southern Conference record books and is now preparing for his senior season as a Moc. Oellerich, who bode his time, became the starter upon Huesman's graduation.

Then there's O'Connor, no longer a Nittany Lion, who split time with Nick Tiano.

While O'Connor is now at the University of British Columbia, Tiano will embark on his college football career later this summer after signing with Mississippi State in February.

Austin, looking forward to his first and only Baylor season, hopes to follow in their footsteps.

The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder, a Chattanoogan until the middle of his seventh-grade year, was a starter last season at Haywood County, where he threw for 1,900 yards and ran for another 450.

"My completion percentage wasn't very good -- 55 or 60 percent -- but this year will be the first that I've had a quarterback coach (Cos DeMatteo) and that will be a benefit," Austin said.

"This year (Haywood County) went through a coaching change and everything was unclear," Massey said. "I had a bit of a relationship with Austin's dad (Billy) and he reached out to me to see if there might be an interest. I told him what our situation was and they felt like this was a good situation."

There will, however, be competition for the starting job. Bryce Verble, a sophomore, played some last year, although he doesn't have a lot of game experience.

"Bryce is a good guy. We've become friends," Austin said. "I'm looking forward to spring because competition always brings out the best in you. It will be a good competition. He's a good athlete, but when you're on the field it's all out. You have to be the best you can be every day."

Austin also is a good athlete and he currently competes for Baylor's track team in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays.

Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him at Twitter.com/wardgossett.

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