[GoRU]

'10 VA QB Phillip Sims



Pro-style quarterback
Chesapeake (VA) Oscar Smith

Ht: 6-foot-2 (Event)
Wt: 183 lbs
Forty: 4.5 secs
Class: 2010 (High School)

Football: Super Soph Stars At QB For Oscar Smith - HRvarsity.com

Phillip Sims is an unassuming guy without the dominant physical traits of some of his Oscar Smith football teammates. But it's his numbers that have unnerved opponents most of this season.

Thirty touchdowns and 2,327 passing yards. Twenty-one high school starts. A 13-0 record that's propelled the Tigers into a Saturday afternoon Group AAA Division 6 state semifinal matchup with Westfield at Oscar Smith's Beard-DeLong-Easley Stadium.

But you want to know the scariest number when it comes to Sims? His age. The sophomore only recently turned 15 and there's no telling just how good he'll be by the time his high school career concludes. Tigers coach Richard Morgan has a prediction, however.

``Phillip will be the best QB that this area has seen in years by the time he graduates and he will have dozens of scholarship offers,'' said Morgan, whose team has become a pipeline to NCAA Division I programs. ``I don't know how many colleges want to play a freshman, but he'll be able to go in and compete for a starting job right away.''

Sims wasn't supposed to be this far along in his development but he was tossed into the fray last season when starter Dexter Merritt went down with a knee injury. The freshman helped the Tigers to a 10-2 record but they were stopped in the Eastern Region title game for a third consecutive season.

Oscar Smith struggled mightily on offense in that contest, mainly because of poor line play against Salem. Sims, adjusting to a higher level of play and a big crowd at Norfolk State's Dick Price Stadium, wasn't as effective as he would have liked, throwing for 235 yards and a touchdown but also having two passes intercepted. He suffered seven sacks and the Tigers twice failed on fourth-down attempts in SunDevils territory.

``I was pretty nervous, being in my first championship game,'' Sims admitted.

Last weekend, against the same opponent in the same game, Sims started erratically but closed strong in leading Oscar Smith to the region title. He completed 15 of 27 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns and had a pass picked off.

``Now, it's not so much our plays, but he has a better grasp on what the defense is trying to do to him,'' Morgan said. ``He's more comfortable and can make different throws because he knows what they're doing and makes better reads than in the past.

``Last year he was 14 years old and it was, hey kid, go in there and play football with no experience. But now, there's nothing a defense can do that he hasn't seen. He's faced 8-man blitzes, man on man coverage, everybody dropping off into zone. It's not like he's going to spaz out in the pocket on me.''

The delicate ballet required to move about that pocket while simultaneously looking downfield and dodging rushers is challenging even for senior quarterbacks, let alone someone who can't drive himself to the field.

From experience and talks with his linemen, Sims has learned how to read and take advantage of a teammate's blocking. Meanwhile, Morgan puts him through daily escape and mobility drills.

``A guy comes in this way, what do you do?'' the coach said. ``A guy comes from the back side, here's the move you use. If the line gives you this option, here's when you take it.''

Whereas Merritt could gain yards with his feet and was encouraged to do so at times, Sims mostly has a red light when it comes to heading past the line of scrimmage. Morgan doesn't want him trying to elude older, faster opponents and risking injury.

``We don't ask him to run the ball and when he has to, I want him to get out of bounds and stay healthy,'' Morgan said. ``He's still growing and getting used to his body. Once he does that, he's going to have a lot more agility and that will lead to better mobility.''

Part of Sims' emotional growth has been the ability to control those impulsive feelings that plague every young quarterback. Perhaps you need four yards for a first down but, boy, wouldn't it be great to get 40 instead?

``Being a quarterback you want to make the big play every play but you have to know that along with big plays come mistakes,'' Sims said. ``You have to know when to pull back, because you have to give your team the best chance to win and you can't win without the ball.''

Put Sims and the ball together and watch the numbers fly.

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