Interview: 2021 Mississippi QB Jake Weir has All the Division I Skills
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG
Lining up against 6A Mississippi football players forces players to step up and ball out or bow out. The last two seasons with Tupelo High School have been balling out sessions for Class of 2021 quarterback Jake Weir. He has showcased all the skills of a Division I gunslinger, most college programs are unaware.
Going through a 7-5 season in 2019, Weir (6-2, 205) hit 152 of 251 pass attempts for 2,257 yards with 20 touchdowns adding one rushing score. Over the offseason, the Golden Wave added a new head coach and coaching staff bringing a new offense with them. The 2020 season has proven to be a tough time for high school football teams across the country to install a new offense with limited to no practice time to get the chemistry and timing down. Yet, the Golden Wave’s senior leader found a way to get everyone onboard as fast as possible. With extra reps at practice working with his receiver, Weir was able to translate that to 1,310 yards and nine touchdowns during the team’s 6-4 run.
With two Division I offers extended, JUCO teams wanting him badly, and preferred walk-on offers coming in, Weir is waiting out his options. Posting a 30 on the ACT with a 4.0 cumulative GPA, Weir has lots of open doors heading to the collegiate level.
Interview
Jake, you have the full arsenal when you take the field. You have the gun for an arm, but can throw with touch, and you have that quickness to escape the pocket to keep plays alive. For those who may not have seen you play or watch game footage on you, how would you describe your talents as a quarterback?
I have a quick release and I have great footwork; I have worked really hard on those things and I pride myself on the fundamentals to create consistently. In our offense, I have shown that I throw a great deep ball and fades, my red zone throws and I pride myself on my accuracy. I scored a 30 on ACT and have a 4.0, I am a student of the game. All the time I am watching film with my coaches and on my own. I love football and I am a workaholic. I am always doing drills on the field to help me out with it.
Looks like the Golden Wave was running a Pistol/Spread set with various nuances to the scheme. What was the philosophy of the attack?
We had RPO system this year. Our game was based off that with a normal run package and pro-style looks. We had a quick game, play-action, and took deep shots; we mixed it all in. I was throwing posts and making decisions off my pre-snap reads. That was our bread and butter this year.
How did you prepare for each game during the 2020 season?
We have film on Sunday of the previous game. After that, I talked with my coach on what I did well and on what I need to work on for the next game. Then I’d go work with my receivers for next week. Monday through Wednesday we were in full pads and Thursday was our walk through. This season, I realized you can never get enough reps. I am always getting extra practice reps. Perfect practice makes perfect. My guys wanted to work like I did. We had a great group of guys out there.
When you were dropping back, how were defenses lining up against you guys in the secondary?
In Mississippi, people like to line up how they line up. We saw Cover 4 or Cover 2, but we have physical beasts in Mississippi. We have guys that can outplay you. They don’t rely on schemes as much as the players. We grow them big here, especially in 6A. I was throwing against Cover 1, 2, 3, and 4; nothing too crazy. You had to beat them with your talent. Mississippi 6A football is talent on talent.
Being a two-year starter, I’m guessing you’ve seen and been through just about everything. What was one new or big challenge you faced during the 2020 season?
After my junior year, our head coach changed schools. This season we had a new head coach, new offensive coordinator, and new position coaches. We switched up our offense. Because of the virus, we had no spring to prepare and I was playing baseball. Getting a grasp of that new offense was a big change.
Last year we had dudes at receiver. I could just throw it up to them. Our sophomore class will be really good, but it was a learning process for us. All of us were getting a grasp of the offense, we had learning phases and growing pains. We came together at the end of the season and we had a better team chemistry. We were truly a family. This team, we are hanging out and doing the work together. We are hanging out on the weekends, not just going our separate ways after practice. We are not the everyday team that watches film or practices then separates. This team is a great group of buddies on and off the field. You can see that when we started clicking.
How did facing that adversity help make you a better quarterback?
It helped me learn quickly and on the fly. We put in new stuff, stuff that worked or did not. I had to adapt quickly and change my thought process on changing stuff up on the fly. That helped my football IQ. I felt that I had a great football IQ, but this year put it through the roof with the new stuff I was learning. This season helped my reads and better understanding personnel.
When the 2020 season ended, what did you feel were the strengths to your game as a quarterback?
My strengths, I believe it was my reads. They got better throughout the season. My footwork and run game drastically improved. I was called on a couple of times this year to run the ball; I performed well running. The new offense added a different aspect to my game, and my running held defenses in check. They had to prepare for that. That helped out our offense allowing us to create more points.
Let’s get into some recruiting. Which schools are showing interest but have not offered?
Memphis, Tulane, Ole Miss, and Southern Miss.
Which schools have offered?
I have two offers (Southern Illinois and Tennessee-Martin) and several JUCO offers. I have three preferred walk-on offers from Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, and TCU.
*Memphis extended a preferred walk-on offer after the interview
Did you get to take any visits in 2020?
None recently, but I did take a Junior Day visit at Samford and Southern Miss in January. I was in a hotel in New Orleans ready to see Tulane when the Coronavirus hit.
That had to be very frustrating.
Yes, sir.
Are there any visits you may take coming up either academically or to a program?
I might go on academic tours at TCU, Virginia Tech, and maybe Tulane. I am not for sure yet, nothing is planned but I am thinking about it. Maybe I can do some virtual tours with the coaches. I’d like to visit UT-Martin as well.
With all that has happened since the late winter/early spring, Class of 2021 college football recruits have not been able to fully explore their options at the next level. What is your approach to your personal recruiting process?
I am waiting. It sucks that this has happened for everyone in the 2021 class, but I can’t do much about it. There is nothing we can do with the NCAA’s decision. What I can do is research, talk to the coaches and get a feel for them, how they run their offense, and their program. I can research as much as I can about the school without taking the visit and figure it out on my own.
As for when I may make a decision, I am not making a decision yet. Right now, I am open to everything. All my options are open.
What does that ideal fit look like to you?
It is about their coaching staff, having a great relationship with their players and with me during the process. Do they make me feel at home? I am looking for a school that will challenge me athletically and academically. All schools have honor programs; I am looking for the best of both worlds as a student and as an athlete.
Jake, I appreciate your time today and wish you success with your recruiting process going forward.
Thank you, sir.
Photo credit: Weir family; Jake Weir