The high school football world is full of talented players – guys who make everyone’s highlight reel. Then there are those who just win. Montgomery Catholic quarterback Caleb McCreary does a lot of both.
McCreary is a rising senior pro-style QB who also plays baseball and basketball for Montgomery Catholic. It’s football he has drawn the most attention for, including several college recruiters hoping to sign the three-star standout. McCreary received 11 offers from colleges including Georgia Tech and Maryland; he ultimately decided to attend Troy University.
But there’s still work to be done for McCreary as he returns to lead the Knights offense next fall. In his previous three seasons as the starting quarterback, he has led the Knights to a 38-5 record. But McCreary and Montgomery Catholic are hoping to finally win a state championship, which has eluded them so far despite three straight trips to the semifinals, one of which included a trip to the state championship game in his freshman season.
Head coach Kirk Johnson believes his star QB can get it done. In fact, Johnson thinks McCreary can do just about anything when he’s on the football field.
“Caleb is a freakin’ phenomenal football player,” Johnson says emphatically, even comparing McCreary to one of the NBA’s all-time greats. “He’s Allen Iverson.”
The praise doesn’t stop there.
“He brings an element to the game that’s uncoachable,” Johnson says. “Caleb will make plays that make me say, ‘Well, that wasn’t in the playbook.’ He has the ability to create the play that you can’t coach.
Despite the accolades about his playmaking abilities and flair for the dramatic, Johnson understands that there is truly just one trait that separates merely talented athletes from the great ones.
“The one thing a quarterback should be ranked on is his ability to win games,” Johnson says. “It’s that simple. People talk about being a leader, and all that, and while some players are leaders – and that certainly includes Caleb – you’ve gotta be able to win games, and Caleb has done that for us.”
McCreary started as a freshman in 2020 and led the Knights to a 12-3 record and the state finals. The next two seasons, he led his team to consecutive 13-1 seasons and the Class 3A semifinals.
During his three seasons as the Montgomery Catholic quarterback, McCreary has thrown for 7,947 yards, 107 touchdowns, and just 8 interceptions. The TD total ranks him fifth all-time in Alabama high school football history. He also has rushed 175 times for 1,436 yards and 15 TDs.
Last season, McCreary threw for 2,809 yards with 43 TDs and only 1 INT, and he ran for 803 yards and 10 rushing scores.
Despite the great stats, Johnson comes back to what he thinks McCreary does best – win.
“He has a chance to leave here – God willing – with over 50 wins,” Johnson says. “The kid is a winner.”
