The NKyTribune will be offering focused coverage of NKY high school football throughout the season, thanks to support from St. Elizabeth Healthcare Sports Medicine. See all our pre-season features on each of NKY’s 21 high school football teams and follow our coverage, including roundups each week at Northern Kentucky High School Football.
By John Lachmann
NKyTribune contributor
Rarely does a high school quarterback hold that job for more than two years. But Dayton senior Dylan Adams will be under center for the fourth season, having held the job since his freshman campaign.
“We had a new guy (at quarterback) every year,” said Dayton coach Chad Montgomery, “so we made a conscious decision when (Adams) was a freshman. We decided that we were going to make him the quarterback.”
Adams has battled multiple injuries during his high school career. He broke a finger his sophomore season and suffered a torn labrum in his shoulder last season that required surgery, but he is fully healthy at this point.
Montgomery said the senior’s arm strength is excellent and he has solid on-field vision.
“He moves like Barry Sanders,” Montgomery said. “He’s maybe a little bigger than a quarterback should be, and he looks like he has no athletic ability, but he’s very elusive.”
The Greendevils are 8-25 in Adams’ three previous seasons as the leader of their offense. This season, however, the team should be in a better position to put up points because the entire starting five on the offensive line the past two years is among seven members of the offense returning.
“It’s absolutely great,” Adams said. “I really trust my line. They’ve worked hard even when nobody’s watching.”
Adams led the Greendevils in rushing touchdowns last season with seven, gaining 388 yards on 99 carries. He averaged fewer than eight pass attempts per game, going 32 of 77 (41.6 percent) for 259 yards and a pair of scores.
“Intellectually, he understands our offense so well he can almost call the play before we can call it as coaches,” Montgomery said.
Adams, who will also play defensive end for the Greendevils this season, said having been the team’s quarterback for so long has helped him master Dayton’s offensive game plan.
“It’s a huge advantage,” he said. “I’ve had some really good coaches help me a lot, help me be smarter, make better plays. It also helps me control the huddle.”
Even with Adams’ experience level, there is still plenty to work on. He spent ample time on improving his footwork and reading opponents’ defenses this off-season. Montgomery is impressed with how much better Adams has looked thus far in practice.
“He’s making better decisions,” Montgomery said. “He wanted to hit a home run on every play and tried to do too much, and we’re hoping his improved decision-making is what’s going to get us over the top.”
Dayton has not posted a winning record since 2007, but Adams is confident that skid will end this fall.
“I expect us to have a really good season, definitely above .500,” he said. “We’re going to get over the hump and not be the doormat of Northern Kentucky this season.”
DAYTON GREENDEVILS
2014 SEASON: 3-8 record, lost in first round of Class 1A state playoffs.
THIS SEASON: Class 1A, District 4 with Beechwood, Bellevue, Ludlow.
COACH: Chad Montgomery (9-35 in four seasons at Dayton).
2015 SCHEDULE
Aug. 21 – at Brossart, 7 p.m.
Aug. 28 – at Bellevue, 7 p.m.
Sept. 4 – PENDLETON COUNTY, 7 p.m.
Sept. 11 – NEW MIAMI (Ohio), 7 p.m.
Sept. 18 – ST. BERNARD (Ohio), 7 p.m.
Sept. 25 – at Bracken County, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 8 – LUDLOW, 7 p.m.
Oct. 16 – BELLEVUE, 7 p.m.
Oct. 23 – at Beechwood, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 30 – at Carroll County, 7:30 p.m.
See these NKyTribune prep football previews:
Bishop Brossart
Ludlow
Campbell County
Highlands
Dixie Heights
Bellevue
Newport
NewCath
Conner
Covington Catholic
Holmes