MODESTO – Hughson High coach Shaun King admits he’s not the biggest fan of preseason scrimmages, especially Friday night’s 11-school merry-go-around at Downey’s Chuck Hughes Stadium.
The scrimmage itself is fine, a necessary shakedown cruise before next week’s opening games. It’s just that Hughson possesses a Division I-level quarterback who doesn't want to be protected from needless injury.
Robert McDaniel, the talented senior commit to Arizona, lobbied his case to King late Thursday night, and the coach backed down. Hard contact to QBs was a no-no at Downey, to King’s relief.
Besides, McDaniel wants to cap his prep career the right way.
“We gotta flip the page with a new team,” he said Friday. “That was definitely a thing I was guilty of last year. I held on to that state win (as a sophomore). I didn’t flip the page.”
Hughson has enjoyed arguably its most decorated two-year run in school history—two Sac-Joaquin Section titles, a CIF 5-AA state championship in 2022 and a Northern California finals appearance last year.
The Huskies graduated 23 seniors, hence all the page-flipping talk. What’s left, however, remains promising. That begins with McDaniel, who’s merely passed for more than 5,000 yards and 58 touchdowns as he engineered Hughson’s glitzy 24-6 record the the last two seasons.
He’s been the starter, in fact, since midway through his freshman year.
“I watched him mature into a man,” King praised. “Back when he was a freshman, he was like the team’s little brother. I looked down at him. Now I look up at him.”
Predictably for him, McDaniel’s offseason was filled with difficult choices. He originally committed to Cal but switched to Arizona. He also didn’t play baseball for the first time and concentrated on football training.
McDaniel’s collegiate pump-fake was sparked by the coaching carousel triggered by the retirement of Nick Saban at Alabama. From that point, follow along: Kalen DeBoer rotated from Washington to Alabama, Jedd Fisch relocated from Arizona to Washington, and Brent Brennan left San Jose State for U of A. Staff coaches also were affected.
Though McDaniel first decided on the Golden Bears, he developed relationships along the way with Brennan and his new offensive coordinator Dino Babers. He reconsidered in June and is now on board with Arizona.
Hughson figures to start nine seniors this fall with some of them going both ways. McDaniel has already re-set his course and is comfortable throwing to receivers such as seniors Malachi Sumter and Max Mankins and junior Bryce McDaniel (his brother).
McDaniel’s rollout and pretty pass to junior Valente Soria in the back of the end zone Friday night showed he’s more than ready for next week’s opener at home against Ceres.
“He has perfected his release point. His reads and accuracy are so good that during one practice and a 7-on-7 session the ball didn’t hit the ground,” King said.
It didn’t seem that long ago that McDaniel was the wet-behind-the-ears underclassmen seeking approval from his elders. Today, he’s eager to be the senior statesman.
“One thing we got from our seniors is preaching it down to the younger guys,” he said. “I love being able to help the younger guys progress through the year. The biggest thing I can pass on is leadership. Our younger quarterbacks already get it.”
NOTES – Action stopped for about 20 minutes after Los Banos junior Byron Zuniga lay motionless following a hit. His neck was stabilized, and he was sent by ambulance to a local hospital. Coach Dustin Caropreso said Zuniga reported back pain but was conscious and was able to move his feet and fingers before he left. … Downey’s first snap against Sonora revealed a predictable strength. Quarterback Carson Lamb’s arcing pass found 6-foot-3 Joe Ramirez in stride for an impressive touchdown. Lamb-to-Ramirez might be the area’s most lethal pass-catch tandem, as both looked sharp after injury-slowed junior years.…
Sonora’s grinding option offense, tough to read during the season and even more difficult in mid-August, will be led by lanky junior Eli Ingalls. He succeeds the graduated Adam Curnow, who guided the Wildcats to within a bounce of the ball of section championships in both 2022 and '23. Sonora lost only one game in a decade in the Mother Lode League but anticipates a more rigorous test as it joins the already nasty Trans-Valley League. … Grace Davis trotted out quick running backs, including senior Ezekiel Suarez. The Spartans’ new quarterback will be sophomore Caleb Zaragoza....
Coaches with new apparel: Kimball, a former Valley Oak League affiliate now a new member of the Tri-City Athletic League, is led by new coach LeConte Vaughn. He takes over for Derek Graves, the new coach at Chavez. Vaughn and Graves led their new teams onto the field at Downey. … Bear Creek was hard to miss with jerseys spelling out, “The Creek.”
