NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. (EYT/D9) — Of all the things Braylon Wagner figured he’d be working hard on at practice last season after being thrust into the role of starting quarterback in Week 8, sliding wasn’t one of them.
(Pictured above, Redbank Valley quarterback Braylon Wagner looks for an open receiver during a game late last season/photo by Madison McFarland)
But here the freshman was, learning how to tuck his leg and get down to avoid taking a hit.
It was out of necessity — Wagner was the only quarterback on the Redbank Valley football roster.
“Yeah, we worked on sliding,” Wagner said, chuckling. “I wasn’t really the greatest at it. I just had to stay safe.”
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Redbank Valley coach Blane Gold said he had never worked so hard to keep a player free from injury in his years of coaching.
But Wagner was the key to finishing off the season strong.
Lucky for Gold, there was nothing wrong with Wagner’s strong arm once he decided to let it loose.
In four games, Wagner played well, completing 58-of-99 passes for 804 yards and eight touchdowns.
He helped get the Bulldogs to the District 9 Class A semifinals, where they fell to Brockway.
Now with those four invaluable games under his belt, the sophomore enters this season as the unquestioned starting quarterback, determined to take his game — and Redbank Valley — to the next level.
“Those four games really helped me out,” Wagner said. “Last year I had confidence as well, but this year, it’s just gonna be great for us.”
Wagner didn’t rest on what he was able to accomplish in his four-game audition last year.
He hit the weight room, trying to add muscle to his 6-foot frame and he accomplished that, gaining 15 pounds from last season.
Wagner also fine-tuned his mechanics and feel for the position.
“I really worked on my pocket presence,” Wagner said. “The more people that started surrounding me last year, as a freshman, the more nervous I was. I was just kind of too nervous.”
Wagner was also on a short leash when it came to running the ball.
Because he was the only quarterback available, the playbook was limited — virtually all designed QB runs were scuttled.
This year, though, the block on Wagner’s tire — as Gold put it — will come off. He’ll be free to use his legs as well as his arm.
And Wagner has the potential to be a threat in the running game as well this season. Just another dimension and another thing for Redbank Valley opponents to be concerned about.
“The playbook is opening up,” Wagner said. “I love running the football, so we’ll see how that plays out.”
Gold, for one, is eager to see what Wagner can do with a full season as the starter.
And with the training wheels removed.
Wagner wasn’t exactly a secret inside the Bulldog locker room. His talent was apparent.
Gold was also pleased with how Wagner handled himself on and off the field after get thrown into the lineup late last season.
“There’s nothing that he hasn’t given us that we wish we would have seen to this point,” Gold said. “He hasn’t left anything to be desired.
“We obviously believe Braylon can really be a special talent here over the next three years,” Gold added. “He’s only a sophomore and we saw what he was able to accomplish in only four games last year as a freshman. We’re obviously continuing to look for growth and maturity in decision making and leadership and all those areas.”
Wagner is taking that seriously.
He said he also learned last season how to trust.
His teammates and his coaches.
“Sometimes I was a little bit timid to throw some passes last year,” Wagner said. “Once I stepped out of that whole zone, we got much better. We started getting more yards and getting more points.”
Wagner said he believes the offense can get even better this season, despite some big graduation losses at the receiver position in Aiden Ortz and Tate Minich.
But four offensive lineman are back. The backfield is back. And big targets Mason Clouse, Ashton Kahle and Rylan Rupp are also back.
“We have great talent and I can trust anybody out there that we put in,” Wagner said. “We’re really strong with our wide receivers. We have lots of depth. Anyone who we throw in I feel confident with.”
That has Wagner and his teammates setting some pretty lofty goals for themselves this season.
The expectations are sky high.
“District championship,” Wagner said. “Go 10-0 and spread the ball around, I guess. I feel like we can really put some points on the board.”
Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.
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