It was going to happen eventually, but not this way and not this soon.
Tyler Knight was supposed to replace Sean Price as Maine South’s quarterback, but next August, not Thursday night at Glenbrook South, not with Price dressed in a blue sling and Hawks fans wondering if their Central Suburban League South Division title hopes were in similar straits.
Knight didn’t let them squirm for long. As he stepped behind center for the first time as a varsity starting quarterback, he promptly called an audible and threw a pass over the middle to wide receiver Mark Sagerstrom for a 16-yard gain.
That started a 76-yard scoring drive during which the 6-foot-2-inch junior completed five of six passes for 52 yards. He would end the first quarter with eight completions in 11 attempts for 88 yards and one touchdown, and his team would end it leading 21-6 on its way to a 34-12 victory.
This didn’t exactly shock Maine South coach Dave Inserra. Almost a year earlier, he had called up Knight from the sophomore team to strengthen the Hawks’ kicking game, and Knight converted a 47-yard field goal in his first varsity contest.
“He stepped up in a big situation,” Inserra said of the kick. “That’s the type of kid he is.”
The challenge was a lot bigger Thursday. Price, the Tribune’s first-team All-State quarterback last year as a junior, was expected to lead Maine South to an undefeated regular season and deep into the playoffs, perhaps all the way to the Class 8A championship that eluded the Hawks last November in a 48-27 title-game loss to Lockport.
Those expectations faded when Price broke his left collarbone when he was tackled on a broken play early in the fourth quarter of a 42-7 victory over Deerfield on Sept. 17. At that point Knight was playing wide receiver and safety, but he had been the quarterback on Maine South’s freshman and sophomore teams and was Price’s heir apparent.
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“I had a pretty good idea,” Knight said of knowing what it meant for him when Price was injured. “The coaches turned to me and said, `You better be ready come Monday.'”
It didn’t help that Inserra and offensive coordinator Charlie Bliss had just three days to get Knight ready, but Inserra tried to settle down his players by cautioning them to avoid attempts at heroics.
“We can’t have the mind-set that we have to have the spectacular play,” he said. “When you do, you make mistakes.
“We just have to play a little harder and execute a little better.”
That message got through to Knight, who didn’t seem rattled by the prospect of replacing Price.
“I actually was excited I was given the opportunity,” he said. “I was really pumped, ready for the game and really glad the coaches gave me the chance and that the offensive line and receivers had confidence in me.”
Knight wasn’t perfect. He threw one interception and once had to fall on the ball when it slipped out of his hand during a scramble. But, often operating South’s pass-happy offense with four wide receivers, he completed 20 of 30 passes for 218 yards and two scores.
“For his first time, he did a great job, and he’ll only get better from here,” Price said.
In addition to his quarterbacking duties, Knight pinned back Glenbrook South deep in its own territory on most of his six kickoffs, got off a 63-yard punt that helped set up a Maine South touchdown and converted four of five extra points.
“We call him `Mr. Everything,'” Price said with a smile.
Smiles hadn’t come easily for the 6-2 Price last week. He set a state record with 4,751 yards passing last season and seemed poised to break it this year as well as expand the number of colleges that have offered him scholarships. His four current offers include Illinois.
To make matters worse, Price had broken his right collarbone in 2002 as a varsity starter, missing the last four games of that season.
“I heard it pop, and it was a similar feeling,” he said of his latest injury. “I was kind of shocked at first. I thought, `Oh, no, not again.’
“I was disappointed, but it is just part of the game and I just have to deal with it.”
Price has dealt with it partly by working with Knight in practice. The two consulted often during Thursday’s game, and at one point Price fetched Knight a towel.
“He kept my confidence up,” Knight said.
Price hopes to return to action in Maine South’s regular-season finale against Waukegan or, at worst, the following week in the state playoffs. Knight proved Thursday that Maine South (5-0) can win without Price, but it won’t go far into the postseason that way.
“I’m just taking it one play at a time, just going with the flow,” Knight said. “I’m just filling in for Sean.
“Those are some big shoes to fill.”
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