Full-time starter: QB Barfield looks to make his mark

Senior quarterback Tyler Barfield has grown significantly during his time in the Scotland High School football program.

In his first two years on the varsity team as a sophomore and junior, he split snaps and playing time at the quarterback position. Now this year, Barfield will have the starting quarterback job all to himself in his final season as a Fighting Scot.

“It’s a great feeling,” Barfield said. “I have been ready for this opportunity and I’m going to make the best of it.”

Barfield said he’s really become more of a leader on the team this year and has embraced that role now that he’s a senior and finally the full-time starter.

“He’s really worked hard to position himself to have a great year,” said head coach Richard Bailey.

Even though the Scots have a new offensive coordinator in Will Clark, the offense Barfield will be running won’t differ much from what he’s used to running in the past. The Scots’ offense is largely based around a spread system with run-pass-option principles.

Barfield said the transition to working with Clark offensively has largely been seamless so far.

“He is a great coach and he came in with some great offensive plays and changes” Barfield said. “He takes the time with you to make sure you are getting what you need to know and what needs to be done. He’s been a great addition to the team and coaching staff.”

Clark said Barfield understands what they’re trying to do offensively as a program and has done well familiarizing himself with the play calls in preseason practices.

Right now, Clark added that he’s been working with Barfield on speeding up his decision making in the pocket.

“He knows the correct decisions – he’s done that well over the last two years, winning ball games as a starter,” Clark said of Barfield. “It’s just a matter of speeding up the process of making the correct decision and getting the ball to the correct person at the right time.”

Barfield will have plenty of weapons all over the field on the offensive side of the ball.

At receiver, he’ll be throwing to Mandrell Johnson and Trey Chavis. Johnson was one of the players Barfield has shared snaps with at quarterback in past seasons. In the backfield, he’ll be handing off to Darrius Dockery and RJ Nicholson, and the Scots have a plethora of options at tight end.

“All these players are great teammates and they’re pushing others to work harder,” Barfield said. “I am looking forward to playing with all of them this year as they are great weapons on the field in different ways.”