Junior QBs two of Missouris best in 2006

PECULIAR, Mo. – Heading into last Friday night’s game between Peculiar (Mo.) Raymore-Peculiar and Grandview, most of the attention was focused on three-star tight end Chase Coffman, and for good reason. The 6-foot-6, 210-pound three-star prospect was having a season that most recruits dream about, but on Friday night it was two junior quarterbacks that stole the show.

Recruiting fans get ready to learn the names Carson Coffman and Josh Freeman because they potentially could both be big time prospects in 2006.

Coffman and his team came out ahead on Friday night 52-14 with an attack that featured a strong running game and several pinpoint passes from the 6-foot-2, 171-pound junior signal-caller. Even though he didn’t get many opportunities to throw the ball in the Panther’s wing-T attack, Coffman did make the most of it.

He first connected on a 41-yard touchdown pass to Otis Thomas that was a picture-perfect pass down the seam, and then he later connected on pass to sophomore sensation Derrick Washington that went 47 yards for the score.

But doing so is nothing new for Coffman. He’s a big reason why Ray-Pec is 7-0 on the season, ranked as high as No. 4 in the city and averaging 48 points a game.

Coffman might not have the biggest arm around, but what he does bring is a great ability to put passes in the right spots, great leadership quality and the savoir faire to make big plays at big moments. Every time the Panthers needed a big play, Coffman can through with a big pass or the little something extra that all quarterbacks have.

It also doesn’t hurt that he has older brother to throw to.

If Carson is Linus, then Chase is his famous blue security blanket.

Coffman, who is 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, looked as impressive as he always does on Friday, despite being the focus of several Grandview defenders. Grandview defended the three-star tight end with man-to-man press coverage with their giant of a defensive back and then sent at least one defensive back to his side of the field on every play.

Coffman had several key catches, despite the coverage and showcased his leaping ability with one acrobatic snag in the first quarter when he came down with it around the 50-yard line for a long gain.

With a final four of Iowa, Kansas State, Missouri and Nebraska, Coffman looks like he’s more than good enough to make an impact in the Big 12 and the Big 10. He will need to fill out his frame more, but there is little doubt that Coffman is the new wave tight end that can also be a very successful receiver on the next level.

After scouting Freeman, a 6-foot-6, 216-pound right-hander at the Iowa City NIKE Training Camp and again at the Nebraska summer camp, Freeman had already established himself as one of the top signal-callers in the Midlands Region for 2006. He didn’t do anything to disappoint on Friday night, especially when you consider that Freeman spent most of the night running for his life and didn’t have receivers that could hang on to the football.

Time after time, Freeman would deliver a great pass that would pick up big chunks of yards and his receivers, who were often wide open, would then drop the ball. And if they didn’t drop the ball, Freeman would have to duck, dodge and weave his way around pass rushers before finally finding an open receiver.

Despite all the struggles of his teammates, Freeman was still 19 of 44 for 315 for two touchdowns. The touchdown strikes came on passes of 63 and 47 yards, and included an amazing pass on the first score when Freeman was flushed to his right and nailed a receiver crossing the middle.

It’s easy to see why Freeman already has scholarship offers from Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska. He’s a big-strong armed quarterback that does have some mobility. Freeman ran a 4.9-second time at the NIKE Camp, but trust us he’s much faster than that and he exhibited that on Friday when he was be chased by Ray-Pec defenders.

Missouri’s best for 2007?

It’s early but from the looks of it, Washington, the 5-foot-11, 195-pound running back, from Ray-Pec will be one of the best for the Class of 2007.

Washington was an effective runner on the outside and exhibited very good speed when he needed to turn his jets on. It’s still early to truly tell how big of recruit he might be, but remember his name because he’s already getting attention from the colleges. Washington did attend this past weekend’s game between Oklahoma and Kansas State in Manhattan along with Chase and Carson.