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by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
After his unfathomable performances last season, winning a state title & throwing 35 TD passes & just 4 interceptions, I'd already seen enough to call him the best QB in America...
Following the first few weeks of the year, LSU Odyssey continued to heap praise & some pretty lofty comparisons & expectations upon him...and all he did was improve from elite....to out of this world.
Throwing for 350 yards and 4 TDs vs Neville High (adding a rushing TD), Howard not only continued his individual streak of 4 straight games with 3+ TD passes (his 9th career game of 3+ TDs), he put a stop to STM's opening winless run.
With only seconds remaining and STM locked in a tie vs Will Campbell's undefeated Neville High, defending champions St Thomas More faced a potential 0-3 start to 2021....when their backs were completely against the wall, when attrition was at its worst....who was there to rise and be counted?
2022's #1 overall QB Walker Howard, spinning opponents out of bounds, tossing howitzer darts over the fingertips of defenders....despite performing like a raging bull throughout the first few games, against Neville last Friday, the 5 star played like a 10 star ready to compete for LSU's starting job right now....not kidding around.
Already chucking 13 TDs, 2 INTs and 1,253 yards to a group of less experienced receivers, Walker is helping his teammates develop by the game, as we've seen WR Barron Sawyer star early and often for STM.
He's made every throw in the book, even pulling the rabbit outta the hat with some freakish Houdini-esque plays: bending or folding his frame like some kind of "QB Terminator" in order to avoid hits and complete stunning airborne passes while on the run.
Though we love watching his quick release aerial artistry, Howard's much more than a prototypical pocket passer....he's something else entirely:
Regardless of how Walker is classified by recruiting sites, or his pro-ready passing profile, Walker is without hesitation or reservation a dual threat QB, as was most recently proven vs Neville, a game which required an otherworldly touchdown run from Howard:
Nabbing his 4th rushing TD of the season, Walker Howard scrambled to his left from searing pressure, the right hander worming his way through one defender after another, breaking tackles before imitating Clyde Edwards-Helaire when he spun a Neville safety into the atmosphere from whence he came...then, finishing the remarkable play off by jumping over contact and bouncing into the end zone....
Everyone in attendance went absolutely bananas....even his opponents had to sheepishly grin or do nothing but shake their heads in dismay.
Defeating Will Campbell's Neville was no easy task, facing Ajay Allen's outrageous 360 rushing yards, the final play of the night was where Walker's legend is sealed for me:
Rolling away to his left from intensive pressure, Walker jump-passed a 15 yard long game-winning TD with 9 seconds remaining; but my favorite part was the unbelievable way he manipulated Neville's entire defense, rolling out charging toward the line of scrimmage before swiping his machete through the brush with a precise pass to the corner of the end zone.....all as he is smashed from behind by a strong side DE.
Somehow...this right hander continues to pull off sorcery when rolling to his left away from pressure; throwing against the grain is nothing to this young man.
Everything that's tough....that takes time to develop....Walker already has in his arsenal...
Everything that makes a great quarterback.....he defines.....
Together with his undeniable arm, Howard is the most explosive and entertaining QB to come out of Louisiana in the 21st century....and I don't really care if you feel like arguing me, I'll win every time.
Towering over hyperbole or exaggeration, the truth is....outside of Joe Burrow, Walker Howard may just be my favorite QB of all time....and he hasn't even attempted a collegiate pass yet....
WALKER HOWARD
2021 STATS
1,253 Passing Yards
13 TDs
2 INTs
4 Rushing TDs
(If there are any stat errors you'd like to point out or correct, please let us know @LonnPhillips or through lsuodyssey.com or philhar27@gmail.com)
by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
Copyright 2021 Uninterrupted Writings Inc