Patrick Towles runs the ball for Highlands against Boyle County last season. (Clay Jackson photo)
By LARRY VAUGHT
He’s never seen Patrick Towles play a game or watched actual game footage of him, but former Kentucky quarterback Andre Woodson has seen enough highlights and heard enough reports that he can’t wait to see the UK freshmen perform once preseason practice starts Friday.
“Just from the highlights you can tell how much talent he has. He showcases a lot of ability with running, throwing it, leadership skills,” said Woodson, a graduate assistant coach who works with the quarterbacks. “I think the kids right now really like him a lot.
“When we get to go into camp, it will be interesting to see how much we can really throw at him at one time. Usually with young quarterbacks it is difficult for them to pick up really quick, but I think the kind of kid he is and what he has been showing so far is that he is willing to take that challenge and overcome that. He is a SEC quarterback and ready to compete.”
Towles was named a Parade All-American and Kentucky’s Mr. Football after completing 171 of 279 passes for 3,820 yards and 42 touchdowns with just one interception in 2011. He also rushed for 589 yards and 15 scores to help lead Highlands to its third straight state championship.
During his career he passed for 7,429 yards and 73 touchdowns and ran for 38 scores and 1,718 yards, reasons he was ranked among the nation’s top high school 10 quarterbacks by several recruiting services last year.
He was coached at times at Highlands by former UK quarterback Jared Lorenzen as well as former Cincinnati Bengals receiver Cris Collinsworth. He’s also the grandson of baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning.
“I can’t wait to help coach him,” Woodson said. “I think kids like him is what makes coaching fun. Obviously they get a thrill out of competing and are just naturally born like that. They just want to do what it takes.
“And if you have a kid who is really young and doing really well, then you have seniors and juniors that know this kid is right behind them and competing so they have to step it up even more. They need to get in the film room, work with the receivers more. It just makes the team better if everyone is truly competing with each other and trying to get each other better and develop into better players. Patrick will bring that to our team.”
10 Responses to Woodson anxious to see freshman QB Patrick Towles perform in preseason camp
Leave a Reply
Blue Zoom Radio Show
Polls
Loading ...Choose Your Favorite!
After former pro bowl Bengal receiver Collinsworth raved about the kind of throws that Towles can make, I am really hoping that he gets to play this season. Even if it is just a quarter a game.
Cris Collinsworth thinks Towles is a future NFL player
From what I’ve read this kid must be the real deal. Let’s hope he takes the bit and scores touchdowns!!
he is indeed the real deal
Yeah, I heard Collinsworth say that towles can already make some throws that some NFL qb’s can’t! That’s saying something! I have a lot of respect for Collinsworths evaluation, and have to think this kid is gonna be hard to keep off the field. I’m thinking Max starts this year, but Towles beats him out in camp next year, once he knows the system.
When Collinsworth told me those things about Towles before the FIRST GAME last season, I knew then how special he would be. Cris is not one to lavish praise lightly
If our WR’s cant catch the ball it does matter how good he is.
It would be great if he can red shirt and get stronger. Maybe by the 2013 year our WR’s will know how to catch the ball and our play calling will be better.
With you John. Doesn’t matter who is at QB if receiver play is not better
Agreed, Andre Woodson was a really good QB, but he had Keenan Burton and Stevie Johnson to throw to. I have yet to see that type of receiver in this group.
Here is the article on Towles. He is the real deal!!!!
November 3, 2011
Q & A with Cris Collinsworth
FORT THOMAS, Ky. – The Highlands High School football team has a pretty famous face on its sideline every game, and wide receivers coach Cris Collinsworth, the NFL broadcaster and former Cincinnati Bengals receiver, works routinely with a couple Bluebirds committed to the University of Kentucky.
In an interview with Cats Illustrated after the Highlands’ 63-14 victory over Ryle to end the regular season, Collinsworth heaped praise on UK scholarship quarterback commitment Patrick Towles and walk-on wide receiver commitment Austin Sheehan.
Derek Poore, CatsIllustrated
NFL analyst/Highlands assistant coach Cris Collinsworth says UK commit Patrick Towles’ arm strength is “better than a lot of guys in the NFL.”
Towles (6 feet 6, 235 pounds) said he is solidly committed to Kentucky as he has been since spring. Sheehan (5-10, 160) said he is receiving significant interest from Eastern Kentucky, Cincinnati and some others schools about a possible scholarship offer. If those offers come, he said he would have to re-evaluate his plans of going to UK and paying his own way.
CatsIllustratred.com: As for Patrick, what do you feel like is his potential as he moves forward into college?
Cris Collinsworth: I think he could be a first-round draft pick. … I haven’t seen anything yet that he can’t do. His feet are getting so much quicker. It’s a weird thing that he’s so tall and he can run like the wind. The more drills that we do with his feet and just being quick and evading — just like (Friday night), he was dead to rights, a guy had him (in pursuit on a pass play deep in the red zone) and (Towles) makes a quick little move and throws a touchdown in the back of the end zone. Once he starts developing some of that — so we’ve done a lot of shorter, quicker (drills). … You can ask him; it’s the only thing I ever talk to him about. His arm motion is perfect. His arm strength is as good as a lot of guys in the NFL, better than a lot of guys in the NFL. And it’s all about how quick his decisions and his feet are. And he’s come light years since the beginning of the season. And he should be Mr. Kentucky Football, and I can’t imagine anybody else is going to be.
CatsIllustratred.com: Is there anybody in the NFL that he reminds you of?
Cris Collinsworth: A little Joe Flacco-like. He’s a bigger guy, so you have to come up with some of those big guys (to compare him to). But you know Flacco moves better than people give him credit for, too. (Highlands coach) Dale (Mueller) has done such a great job building and improving him as a quarterback. It would have been real easy for us to just let him throw deep, and he throws it over the top of most defenders. They’re just not used to playing that far. Yet, (Mueller has) really worked on him with the quicker throws, the decision-making that he’s going to have to do at the next level. A lot of what Dale has done with him is really setting him up to play in the (Southeastern Conference), which great.
CatsIllustratred.com: Austin Sheehan said his plans are to go to UK (as a walk-on) but that he’s getting a lot of interest about scholarship offers from other schools and could consider those. What kind of a player is he, and how much fun is it to work with him every day?
Cris Collinsworth: If Kentucky doesn’t have to give him a scholarship, it’ll be the steal of the century. The kid can fly. You’ll see guys in the NFL that run like he does. He’s a gliding runner but very sudden in and out of cuts. He’s not 6-4, so maybe he doesn’t get the attention, but he won the Elder game for us (on Oct. 21). We go across the river (to Ohio). Our starting quarterback, Pat, gets hurt. We had our backup quarterback in, and our whole game plan changed to throw it up to Ozzy. And he went up and made play after play after play. I’m telling you, I don’t think Kentucky will get without a scholarship. I think somebody will offer him a scholarship by the time we put together a highlight tape for him and send it to some people and I talk to some people, I think he’ll get a scholarship.
CatsIllustratred.com: And what about your son, (2013 wide receiver) Jac Collinsworth? What is his recruiting interest at this point?
Cris Collinsworth: I don’t really know what he’s going to do. He had some injuries early in his career, and he’s kind of a young body. He really doesn’t even shave yet. He’s still kind of growing into things, but I’m really proud of him. He’s made some good tough catches and can run plays and jump over the top and make catches. I look forward to seeing what he’s going to be.