Making a Son Quarterback Is No Snap Decision

When Stone Bridge Coach Mickey Thompson says, not so much boastfully but matter-of-factly, "People say I'm arrogant, but I know more football than these people around here," he means it.

He makes his own decisions -- including fourth-down gambles -- and the Bulldogs almost always win. If you don't like the play calls or the depth-chart order, well, feel free to visualize an "O" between the "SB" on his cap. He doesn't much care, as long as his players believe.

But even with that Teflon veneer, there was one coaching move in recent years that caused the assured Thompson to waver: The decision last season to move son Patrick to quarterback, a position he had never played at any level.

The elder Thompson had resisted the urge for years, just as he had opted not to start Patrick's twin, Zach, on defense as a sophomore, even though he thought Zach capable.

Thompson just didn't want to hear, or his boys to hear, that timeless murmured refrain: He's only playing because he's the coach's son.

When "Coach" is also "Dad," the ball-playing son is scrutinized. When that kid happens to play quarterback, he is dissected. Already at the most mentally demanding position, the quarterback sons of head coaches are not only playing for their teammates and their school, they might be playing for their father's reputation, amid cries of nepotism.

Put it this way: Ken Mirer stepped down as head coach at Goshen High School in Indiana as son Rick, a future Notre Dame quarterback and the second pick in the 1993 NFL draft, entered Goshen, just to avoid the pitfalls of such a pairing.

"It's almost like you're at strike two before you even get a chance to prove yourself," said West Springfield Coach Bill Renner, entering his second season with son Bryn at quarterback. "You better be really good, and come through early."

"Everyone expects you to do more than you probably could or probably should," said Bryn Renner, who had to prove himself first as a wide receiver his first two years of high school and then at quarterback last season.

Defending Virginia AAA Division 5 champion Stone Bridge and reigning Division 6 Northern Region runner-up West Springfield, with their father-son combinations, are two of the top teams in the Washington area. They also play in the season opener Friday.

Such relationships have existed in football's past, and they continue today. Potomac Falls has one with the Woodliefs, Coach Scott Woodlief and quarterback son Gregory. And there are father-son/coach-quarterback combos at two division I-A colleges -- Coach Dan Hawkins and son Cody at Colorado, and Coach Todd Dodge and son Riley at North Texas.

Chatting in a West Springfield classroom between recent practices, the Renners looked at each other and laughed when asked if they drew up a set of rules for juggling their dual relationships for on the field and at home.