Waiting patiently in the wings isn’t easy, but being prepared and ready for an opportunity to arise often leads to a grand entrance. For Jay Saunders, the 2016 starting quarterback for the back-to-back state champion Colquitt County Packers, that is exactly the case.
Saunders was the backup quarterback during the 2014 and 2015 seasons when the Packers reeled off 30 consecutive wins and won two state titles. Despite the fact that his playing time during those two seasons was often limited to second-half duty, Saunders learned valuable lessons from the older players in front of him.
“It was an amazing experience,” the Colquitt field general said of being on two state championship teams. “I met a lot of great players and even better people. I learned a ton about working hard and what you have to do to be a leader from guys like Bull Barge, Sihiem King, Chase Parrish, and Kiel Pollard. And knowing that last year we were getting everyone’s best shot each and every week and we still came out on top, it was that much sweeter. Having those memories and friendships will last a lifetime.”
Saunders learned a lot particularly from Chase Parrish, the starting QB for the two championship-winning seasons. Oftentimes Saunders would watch Parrish, who is now at the Naval Academy, put up huge numbers in the first half before entering the game himself in the final two quarters to finish off games that the Packers would dominate.
“Chase was a great quarterback and an even better friend and mentor,” Saunders said. “We got along very well, and we still talk pretty regularly. He taught me a ton of stuff from the football side of things, as far as reading defenses and coverages and just learning the play book when I first got down here my freshman year. But Chase also taught me a lot about staying even keel no matter how good or bad something is going.”
Learning to stay even keel is perhaps one of the most important traits that Saunders learned, as the beginning of his tenure as starting quarterback didn’t go as planned. Colquitt played arguably the most difficult schedule of any team in America through the season’s first month, resulting in four straight losses. Colquitt quickly figured things out, however, and rattled off five straight wins to get back into the Top 10 in the state.
“We started off a little rough, but my guys never got down on me, and I didn’t get down on myself or this team,” Colquitt’s quarterback said of the rough start. “We knew we could be special, and so we never stopped working hard in the weight room, the film room, or on the practice field. We kept getting better each and every week and learned from our mistakes in those early games and have worked hard to correct them and grow from them. I think starting with such a tough schedule didn’t do anything but make us better and prepare us for the tough road ahead during the playoffs.”
Saunders, who probably hasn’t received the media attention that he deserves outside of the South Georgia area due to the Packers losing some close, early-season games, is a great quarterback in his own right. He has the ability to improvise and beat opponents with his speed, but he is also a baseball player when football season is not happening and has more than enough arm strength to hit big throws down the field.
Like the quarterbacks before him, Saunders also seems to have a great working relationship with Rush Propst.
“He’s probably forgotten more about football than I’ll ever know,” Saunders said, joking of Propst. “But Coach and I have a great relationship, and he has taught me so much, not only about football but about life. He always talks to us about moving on and getting a degree and bettering our lives. He and his coaching staff work very hard to make that happen, and if I’m not mistaken we have had 95 scholarships signed since (Coach Propst) has been here, and we had 25 players move to the next level last year alone.”
One reason that Colquitt has been so successful under Propst is the amount of preparation the Packers put in on a given week for an upcoming game. As the quarterback of the team, Saunders’ preparation starts on the weekends and is a week-long process.
“We come in on Sundays and watch film from the previous game and then watch opponent tape,” Saunders said of how the team gets ready for the next week’s game. “Then throughout the week we go through practice, workouts, and a lot more film watching and studying our opponent. Our coaching staff also makes sure we eat right and get plenty of rest.”
In addition to the responsibilities that come with being the quarterback of a storied program like Colquitt, Saunders also dedicates a large amount of his time to baseball. While most would struggle with the time commitment, Saunders believes it has made him better and more prepared for every challenge he faces, whether it be on the field or off.
“Being a multi-sport athlete is tough, but I think it makes me better because I have to balance my time between football and baseball and, the most important thing, school,” Saunders said. “The past few years it was tough during the spring to have to wake up and do football workouts in the morning and installing plays, then going to baseball practice at night and repeating that each day. But I think that has helped me and will help me as I prepare to move on to the next level.”
In addition to learning how to be even keel throughout various circumstances, Saunders has also learned how to be a leader, as evidenced by the fact that the Packers only got stronger through the adversity that was the beginning of the 2016 season. Now, over a month since the rough start, Colquitt looks ready to challenge for another state crown with Saunders leading the charge.
“To be a great leader you must be able to gain followers and be someone people want to listen to,” Saunders said. “But you also have to be a person who people can get behind and trust to take care of them or the situation they’re in.”
In terms of future plans, Saunders has high hopes.
“I want to study business or finance and play either football or baseball, whichever one offers me an opportunity,” Saunders said of his collegiate plans. “If that doesn’t work out, I would like to attend UGA, Alabama, or Ole Miss.”
For the next few months, however, Saunders will only be focused on turning in another season that will make the Packer faithful proud.
“Being the quarterback for this team has been a great experience and a dream come true,” Saunders said. “It is a great responsibility, but I think I have been up for the challenge. It is also a great honor coming behind some great ones, and I hope to leave my mark. I want people to remember me as a good person, hard worker, leader, and someone who left it all on the field every Friday night.”
But when you’re the leader of a team like Colquitt, not only are expectations sky high, but fans expect nothing short of greatness. As the Packers heat up down the home stretch and as the playoffs near, Saunders and the team he leads are only focused on one thing.
“To win a state championship this year would be a dream come true,” Saunders said. “After starting 0-4, to come back and win a third championship in a row would be the most satisfying and exciting experience of my life.”
For Colquitt County Quarterback Jay Saunders, The Time To Shine Is Now
ITG Web Feature
Written by: Jacob Dennis
Photography by Micki K Photography
