Why MGM’s star QB is not uptight heading into Top 10 battle
Temporary bleachers have been ordered to accommodate the crowd for this Friday’s top-10 matchup at Mary G. Montgomery High School.
It seems that everyone in west Mobile is hyped for the game against Baker.
Everyone, that is, except the star quarterback for the home team. Senior Jared Hollins, a South Alabama commit, has established himself as one of the state’s elite quarterbacks while remaining cool and focused.
“I just turn on my gospel music playlist and relax,” Hollins said about his game-week routine. “I feel like for me as a quarterback it’s easier to go into a game relaxed and at peace rather than being uptight and hyped and going in trying to destroy something. I listen to it all week and then all day in the hallways between classes.”
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The approach has worked. Hollins has led MGM to 13 straight regular-season wins, 12 of which have been by double-digits. The lone blemish during the stretch was a loss to Central-Phenix City in the first round of last year’s Class 7A playoffs.
Hollins, who this week was named to the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game roster, has been nearly flawless this season. The 6-foot-4, 180-pounder has completed 95 of 138 passes (68.8 percent) for 1,602 yards with 18 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He’s also rushed for 269 yards and five touchdowns on 37 carries (an average of 7.3 yards per carry). He’s done all that while maintaining a 4.4 grade-point average and taking a course load that will allow him to graduate in December.
“On the field, Jared is one the best field generals I’ve ever watched perform,” said second-year MGM head coach Zach Golson. “In a very short time he has not only learned our system, but now can manipulate it and operate it at the highest level. He is extremely accurate on short, intermediate and vertical throws.
“He’s worked extremely hard on his speed and strength and has made himself into a dynamic dual-threat quarterback. He is a rare breed of leader who holds himself to the highest standard and works to be the best he can be while challenging and helping everyone around him be better as well.”
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Hollins grew up with two deaf parents, a situation that he says provided him the best of both worlds.
“You would assume it makes things different, but it really doesn’t,” Hollins said. “It’s like anything else, whatever you grew up doing is what you know. I get the best of both worlds because I get to do both. When I started off signing, I just started with the ABCs, the same way anybody learns and then you advance as you get older.”
Hollins was effective on the field last season, but his performance has taken a noticeable leap this season.
“Playing the game, it feels the same, but you know that saying that men lie, women lie but that film don’t lie. Turning on the film and watching it I do think I look better,” Hollins said in an interview on Sports Talk 99.5. “But I’ve still got some things I need to work on and that’s a never-ending process. But I do feel like I’m better and I owe that to my offensive line, my receivers and my coaches.”
Hollins is committed to South Alabama, but that hasn’t stopped other coaches from recruiting him. He has a visit planned to the University of Virginia next month.
But for now, his focus is on helping the Vikings to the best season in school history. MGM is 7-0 and ranked No. 4 in the state. Baker is 6-1 and ranked No. 7.
“Our success is a credit to what we’ve been doing since January after we lost in the first round of the playoffs,” Hollins said. “Everybody just came back to work and didn’t complain. Now we have this big game. I was hoping we would both be 7-0 but Baker lost that one game to Dothan. You can only imagine the excitement surrounding this game. As players, we’re looking forward to playing on the big stage.”