BLUFF CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – Sullivan East senior quarterback Drake Fisher still remembers his first varsity action almost two years ago.
“That first start, it was a little shaky,” he recalled. “I was really nervous.”
“It was like after his first game – first start his sophomore year – he’s like ‘wow, they’re fast,'” head coach JC Simmons explained.
This fall, Fisher is entering his third full season as the starter, and it shows.
“Now, [the game’s] just really slowed down and easy,” he said.
“He comes over to the sideline and you get to have conversations about ‘what do you see,'” Simmons added.
Last Friday night, Fisher saw plenty of opportunities through the air and seized a lot of them. He completed 22-of-43 passes for 384 yards and five touchdowns in a conference victory over Volunteer.
“My wide receivers got open most of the time, well almost every time,” he smiled. “And our line was blocking really good.”
“Drake’s a guy that, when he’s on, it’s a whole lot of fun to coach,” Simmons said. “There’s not a whole lot you have to do.”
Simmons has watched his quarterback grow in confidence and ability, and he’s emerged as one of the team’s top leaders, as well.
“When Drake is here and locked in and focused, he’s one of the best leaders we’ve had,” he said. “Obviously we’d like him to be a little more vocal.”
But, Fisher prefers to let his actions do the leading.
“Definitely get locked in at practice and get going – doing plays right,” he said.
Pretty much every offensive snap runs through Fisher’s hands and that’s just fine with Simmons and his staff.
“You know that we have confidence in him and those receivers to get down the field and go make a play,” he said. “We’re going to do what it takes to win a game, if it takes throwing the ball 70 times, that’s what we’ll do.”
Sullivan East (2-1) returns to action on Friday against Unicoi County at 7:30 p.m.
