This could be a tale of two quarterbacks, but it’s not.
One of them — junior Josh Polubinski — is moving to wide receiver. Fortunately for Oswego East coach Tyson LeBlanc, Polubinski is cool with it.
The reason why? Junior Tre Jones, a highly touted dual-threat quarterback with a scholarship offer from Arizona State, has transferred home from Montini.
“We went to middle school together,” Polubinski said of Jones, who’s on the radar of more than one national scouting service. “We’ve known for a while Tre was going to come, so I was just kind of preparing for the coaches to tell me what position to play.”
Jones finalized his decision late in the summer after Polubinski had been manning the position.
“I’ll play anywhere for the team,” Polubinski said. “Just from playing quarterback, I know where everybody should be, so wide receiver just feels natural.
“I know my alignment. Could be special teams, too. I’ll be in.”
That much is certain.
“It’s not easy when you talk about switching positions,” LeBlanc said. “Josh has worked very hard. But Josh is a team guy, and I made it very clear to him. He’s still going to be heavily involved in our offense.
“I know who the guys are who need to have the ball in their hands, and he is one of those guys.”
The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Polubinski, one of triplets, is joined by brothers Zach and Mike in Oswego East’s football and baseball programs. No doubt, he’s very familiar with competition.
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LeBlanc said Josh Polubinski helps bring some stability and size to the team’s receiver group that is headlined by 6-4, 175-pound Ty Carlson, who led the Wolves last spring in receiving.
Even better?
The 6-3, 180-pound Jones also is a team player.
“He’s a great athlete, but what sets him apart is leadership,” LeBlanc said. “The first question he asked me was, ‘Are your guys going to be OK with me coming in to be a leader?’
“For a high school kid not to first ask what you do on offense or how often are you going to throw the ball says a lot about him.”
Jones didn’t start but played on varsity as a freshman at Montini.
In the fall, with football in Illinois delayed, Jones transferred to Denmark in Alpharetta, Georgia, and started two games filling in for an injured All-American quarterback.
“Once he was healthy and ready to play, I ended up coming back to Illinois, which was always the plan,” Jones said.
He returned to Montini and started the first two games in the spring, broke a finger and missed two games, then split time the final two games.
“I’m more of a quiet guy, more lead by example,” Jones said. “But I realize I have to come out of my shell if I want to go to the places I want to go.”
It could be far.
Talent scout Tom Lemming has called Jones a “big-time prospect” and “Power Five-type player.”
At Oswego East, which opens with nonconference games at Waubonsie Valley and home against Lincoln-Way West, Jones will have plenty of targets.
Leading the way are thunder and lightning — running backs Oshobi Odior, a 6-2 junior who weighs 240 pounds, and Darquel Sanders, a 6-2 senior who checks in at 195.
Jared Badie, a senior linebacker who has committed to Illinois, leads the defense and will also see some spot duty on offense.
There will be many new faces on the line.
“We have some beef up front,” Jones said. “We’re still figuring some things out as a unit. Plugging in a quarterback is a big deal, especially the last couple weeks of the summer.
“Talent-wise, we’re in a very good place. We’ve just got to put it together.”
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Team: Oswego East.
Spring record: 2-3.
Offensive leaders: Tre Jones, junior, QB; Oshobi Odior, junior, RB; Ty Carlson, senior, WR; Darquel Sanders, senior RB.
Defensive leaders: Juny Almeida, junior, LB; Jared Badie, senior, LB; Robert Coleman, senior, LB; Jabari Peoples, senior, S;
Playoff history: Five straight appearances, six in last seven years.