BLUE DEVILS YOUTHFUL PASSER

It didn’t take long for Winter Haven to find their quarterback of the future. The one who would hang around for multiple years and be an attractive piece for the offense. The guy the offensive staff can groom and expand the playbook with.

Eric Williams is a sophomore quarterback at Winter Haven high school. Maxpreps has him listed at 6-3/179 pounds. Excellent size for a young passer. We expect him to get even taller. According to Maxpreps, this is Williams first year playing varsity football or at least playing significant time. Ultimately, he played well.

He started the 2017 season as expected for a first year starting QB. Threw just 33 passes and completed 16 of those. Not the best numbers right? We have passers in our area who will throw 33 passes in one game. Note: The running game for Winter Haven is always the bread and butter and the Blue Devils have been blessed with good backs for as long as I can remember.

Williams did not throw for 100 yards in a single game during the first half of the season. Highest output was 58 yards, completing 5 of 6 passes and two TDs versus Auburndale. That was game #1 of the 2017 season. The second half of the season was “A horse of a different color.”

October 20th was his coming out party. Against Cardinal Moone,y Williams threw for 228 yards. He completed 8 of 15 passes and threw for three TDs. He followed up with a 263 yard performance against Bartow, 161 yards versus Ridge community and 176 yards versus Lakeland. Even more impressive, the last 4 games of the season Williams completed 61% of his passes with 73 attempts. Jump back up a paragraph or two…The first five games Williams threw just 33 passes.

Season States: 61/106, 1046 yards, .575, 17.1 ypc, 13 TDs, 7 INTs, 103.2 QB rating

Overall, if Williams continues this upward trend into the spring and 2018 fall season, watch out now…