Dontae Pope hit his stride as a passer during the second half of Merrillville’s season.
To do it, the senior quarterback focused on himself, not on his predecessors.
“My run game has been a really key part,” he said. “But at the beginning of the season, I struggled passing. Going further into the season, my passing has gotten better, and it’s full ahead now.
“It’s just starting short, staying where I was more consistent instead of going with the deep ball. In the past, our quarterbacks have been deep threats, and I had to realize I wasn’t like them. If I started short and played my game, I’d be cool.”
With the 6-foot-1, 170-pound Pope’s progress, it’s no coincidence Merrillville’s level of play has progressed too. The Pirates (7-2), ranked No. 6 in Class 5A by both the coaches and The Associated Press, open sectional play against Munster on Oct. 27.
“If you look at us once we started DAC play, we really struggled against Crown Point, Portage, Michigan City,” Merrillville coach Brad Seiss said. “Since then, our offense has been much improved, and it’s because we’ve been able to throw the ball better in those four games. It’s Dontae taking advantage of making the open throws that he has.
“Obviously, he’s very dynamic with what he can do with his feet. We’re definitely different than we’ve been the last few years with what we do offensively, running him more. In the last three years, Angel Nelson was really good for a couple of years and Jaylen Thomas was good for us last year too. This year, Dontae is much more involved in the Q run game.”
The Pirates’ personnel around Pope also factors into the equation.
“He definitely has confidence,” Seiss said. “But part of it, we’re really young at receiver. We start a couple of sophomores, and they’re all underclassmen. Our whole offense except for Dontae and our H and one offensive lineman is all sophomores and juniors. We’re extremely young, and he’s done a good job of pulling those guys along and helping them get better.”
Pope is one of the team’s captains, along with classmates Terrelle Elmore, Roshaun McGee and Trey Stephens.
“Dontae has brought a tremendous amount of leadership on and off the field,” Stephens said. “With him stepping in as quarterback, he’s stepped into a big role and really fulfilled his duties.”
Pope has run for 505 yards, which ranks second on the team, and a team-high 10 touchdowns. He has thrown for 942 yards and four TDs, with his first of the season coming against LaPorte in Week 6.
“It was really rough at first,” Pope said. “But I’ve made huge growth. It’s an awesome experience to be able to play with my brothers. It’s like a roller coaster because it’s all going so fast.
“At the beginning of the season, I would’ve never thought I’d be here, be where I am in my game. But it wouldn’t have happened without my teammates, who have worked their butts off all season. We worked together all summer, and it paid off.”
Pope worked last season knowing it would not pay off for him in games. After transferring from West Side, he was ruled ineligible by the Indiana High School Athletic Association and missed his junior season.
“It was a struggle at first,” Pope said. “Having to sit out, it was discouraging. I was still practicing — even when it was cold, rainy — but not playing in that game, it was tough. It took my mom and brother and all of the coaches and my teammates to be there for me. Everyone on the team welcomed me with open arms. That’s what kept my head straight.
“And being on the scout team, going against our defense, it gave me a lot of motivation. If I made a play, it was like, ‘Yeah, I’m getting better.’ If I could do good against our defense, I felt like I could do good against any defense. That kept me motivated, and I think I gave everyone else motivation, too, with the way I was there every day even though I couldn’t play.”
Pope grew up in Merrillville, attending elementary and middle school there, before going to West Side his first two years of high school for family reasons.
“I loved West Side,” he said. “It was awesome. I learned a lot I never knew about my culture. It was just time to come back to Merrillville.”
Pope started three games at quarterback for West Side as a freshman before taking over the spot full time during his sophomore season, when he threw for 453 yards and eight touchdowns. He also traveled with West Side’s boys basketball team to the Class 4A semistate in 2021.
Pope stopped playing basketball after that season, even though he began that sport in first grade and figured it would be his primary one in high school.
“I was always scared to play football,” he said. “I played football when I was younger, but I gave it up because I really didn’t like the contact.”
At the behest of one of his coaches, Pope joined the football team in eighth grade, thinking it would help him in basketball. Little did he know football would become his athletic focus.
His brother Dontrell played linebacker and was a captain for Merrillville before graduating in 2018. He’s an assistant for the Pirates.
Dontae Pope is in his second year as a member of the IHSAA Student Advisory Committee. He’s one of 18 representatives from around the state.
The nomination and selection process began in the spring of Pope’s sophomore year at West Side. He joined the group for his junior year, when he was ineligible to play. He understood the difference.
“You can’t show favoritism because of who I am,” he said.
Pope has embraced his role on the committee.
“I feel like it’s been a great opportunity,” Pope said. “I get to have a voice for those who might get overlooked a lot.
“It’s been really cool. We get to experience all of the different venues for state events. I’ve met a ton of great people. I’ve gotten to meet the governor, NFL and NBA superstars. It’s just been a great experience.”
Seiss isn’t surprised Pope, whom he described as “a really good leader,” has enjoyed the position.
“He just does a good job of getting everybody in the right spot and getting our offense going in the right direction,” Seiss said.