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Three playoff quarterbacks who check many boxes

They may not play under center at the next level, but Joshua Youngblood, Charles Montgomery and Fabian Burnett keep their high school teams thriving.
 
Published Nov. 21, 2018

There are plenty of upright, in-the-pocket, strong-armed quarterbacks in the area who have led their teams to deep playoff runs. Nearly all were groomed for the position at an early age and already have college offers.

There are others who will go on to play other skill positions at the next level, but are under center in high school because they are the best athlete on the field. What they lack in experience as signal callers, they make up for in a diverse skill set, displaying the speed of a sprinter and arm of a pitcher.

They are threats to run on every down, whether from an option or a bootleg, or a pure run out of a pass formation when the pocket breaks down.

Three of the area's best multidimensional quarterbacks are still alive in the postseason — Berkeley Prep's Joshua Youngblood, Bloomingdale's Charles Montgomery and Nature Coast's Fabian Burnett.

RELATED: More high school coverage

Joshua Youngblood, Berkeley Prep

The senior, a three-star recruit, has committed to Temple. He is projected to be a slot receiver, as well as a kick returner for the Owls. For the past two seasons, though, Youngblood has been the quarterback for the Buccaneers.

"It was pretty easy to learn how to become a quarterback," Youngblood said. "I have a great coach and mentor in (Dominick) Ciao. He helped me through the growing pains."

After putting up modest numbers as a junior, Youngblood worked at becoming a more polished passer in the summer. His progress was interrupted in the season opener when he broke his hand. The injury forced him to playing running back for three games.

Since returning, Youngblood has led Berkeley Prep to wins in five of the past six games. He has eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing.

Now, he is trying to exact revenge in the Class 3A region final against Clearwater Central Catholic, which beat the Bucs in the opener.

"Just have to prepare for this one like every other game," Youngblood said. "I feel like last time I got caught in the hype and strayed away from my game. We have to treat this like the state championship game."

Bloomingdale sophomore Charles Montgomery excels in the ground game, but he’s also been pretty stellar at quarterback this postseason while filling in for injured starter Lance Alderson. ( SCOTT PURKS | Special to the Times)

Charles Montgomery, Bloomingdale

The Bulls were in a tough spot a month ago. Quarterback Lance Alderson broke his foot, sidelining him indefinitely. In search of a quarterback, Bloomingdale used its best athletes. Five players took snaps at the position in the regular-season finale against Robinson.

One of them was Montgomery. The electrifying running back, who has offers from Iowa State, South Carolina and West Virginia, among others, stood out with his ability to churn out big chunks of yards from the Wildcat formation.

"Obviously his running abilities are enhanced when he is at quarterback," Bulls coach Max Warner said. "The entire purpose of the Wildcat is to out-number the defense in the box by having to account for the quarterback as a runner.

"With Charles back there with Levi (Williams), Dom (Gonnella), or Rodney (Roseboro), it gives us two threats to run that they have to account for. He has done a great job with the execution of the offense, handling shifts and motions and the reads in the run game."

Two weeks, Montgomery directed an offense that put up 45 points in a Class 7A, Region 3 quarterfinal win against Fort Myers Riverdale, the first postseason victory in school history. Last week, the sophomore ran for more than 150 yards to help Bloomingdale beat Palmetto.

Alderson, who had the boot removed from his foot Monday, has been cleared to return. He's even started throwing at practice.

"We'll see how Lance is moving around this week," Warner said.

Either way, the Bulls know they have options at quarterback.

It’s not the norm to see a quarterback also playing defense in the same game. Nature Coast’s Fabian Burnett did just that a week ago against Baker County. “He’s special,” coach Cory Johns says. (MARTHA ASENCIO RHINE | Times)

Fabian Burnett, Nature Coast

Sharks coach Cory Johns knows that Fabian Burnett is too good to take a seat during games.

"Fabian can play just about any position on the field except maybe offensive and defensive line," Johns said.

Last week, Burnett played offense. Then defense. Then offense. All night.
An injury at cornerback thrust Burnett into a starting spot on defense. He also took every snap at quarterback in the Class 5A, Region 2 semifinal against Baker County.

"He's special," Johns said.

In college, Burnett could be a quarterback for an option-style team, Johns said. But the junior likely will be a receiver or defensive back at the next level.

At Nature Coast, he has been the starting quarterback the past two seasons. Burnett's ability to run and throw gives the Sharks an added dimension on offense so opponents cannot entirely key on 2,000-yard rusher Mike Weston.

"Fabian can throw the ball well enough that if you commit too many people to stop the run he can make you pay," Johns said.

Perhaps Burnett's greatest attribute is that he treats the football as if it is a family heirloom. In 12 games, he has yet to throw an interception.

And he has delivered in the clutch, throwing a 65-yard completion in the waning seconds of last week's region semifinal to set up the winning field goal.