Griffith senior Fred Winston always wanted to be a quarterback.
After moving to Griffith from Calumet City, Ill., in fifth grade, he spent two years playing wide receiver before moving under center in middle school.
“It was way more responsibility than I was used to,” he said. “Picking up those responsibilities made me a better player.”
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He’s got a better handle on those responsibilities now as the face of a Griffith offense averaging 49.9 points per game ahead of its Class 4A sectional semifinal game against visiting Morton (8-2) at 7 p.m. Friday.
Winston has been the starter at Griffith (9-1) since the start of his junior season, when he won a quarterback competition to earn the job.
“He’s very accountable for the things he does on and off the field,” Griffith coach Ben Geffert said. “And he’s still a student of the game. It’s like having a coach on the field. If we throw something new at him, he wants to know why we’re doing it and what we’re trying to attack.”
Football rarely leaves Winston’s mind, helping him understand how the Griffith offense is supposed to function while also maintaining the physical traits that help it thrive.
“You have to know where everyone is at,” Winston said. “The speed of the game has to slow down for you so that you can see everything. Because if you’re a second late, it can be six the other way.”
Along with his ability to make an impact during a play, Winston also ensures everything is correct before the snap.
“He’s not just focused on himself,” Geffert said. “He knows everybody else’s position, which is what you want out of your quarterback. We have a little freedom in our backfield as far as alignment. If someone is in the wrong spot, he’s quick to put them in the right one.”
The numbers are gaudy for Winston. He’s thrown for 1,223 yards and 16 touchdowns while completing 54 percent (46-for-85) with only four interceptions. He’s also second on the team with 578 rushing yards and is tied for the team lead with 13 rushing TDs.
He owns Griffith’s records for passing yards in a game (278) and a career (2,551). But those weren’t the numbers Winston had memorized and pointed to as more important.
“We were 1-9,” Winston said of his team’s record as a freshman. “Then we were 4-7, 8-4 last year and now we’re 9-1. We’re obviously not done yet, but we’ve been through a lot, especially from where we were as freshmen.”
Dave Melton is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.