Obviously, KPGFootball tries to include a player’s highlights in any article we write featuring that player. By the way, here are Jaden Stinson’s junior season highlights. That being said, Stinson plays his high school football for one of Kentucky’s most storied and successful teams in the nation, the Mayfield Cardinals. Mayfield plays deep into the playoffs every year. Any year it doesn’t win it all is a disappointing year, around Mayfield, and not making at least the semi-finals is a complete disaster. So the Mayfield QB will naturally have separate and distinct highlights for just the postseason. But of course…
for CAL, Braeden Babin
In 2017, Mayfield played for the State Football Championship in Kentucky’s 2A classification losing to Danville in the championship. Mayfield was 13-2 that year (losing during the regular season to Corbin) but did advance to Lexington by beating the Christian Academy-Louisville (CAL), 21-14, in the semis. Mayfield’s 6-2, 210-pound, man-child QB, in 2017, completed 116 of his 183 passing attempts for 2,007 yards passing with 24 TDs through the air offset by only 5 interceptions.
In 2018, Mayfield would see CAL again, and this time in the State Championship game. Both teams entered the game 14-0. This time, it would be the Centurions (CAL) who would emerge with the trophy leaving Mayfield as bridesmaid once more.
In 2018, Stinson completed 145 of his 222 attempts for 2,931 yards passing with 35 TDs against only 4 interceptions. Stinson did all this with a nearly 2,000 yard ground gainer in the backfield in Kent Trey Matthews (210 rushing attempts, 1,872 yards rushing, with 29 rushing TDs and scoring 180 of the team’s 671 points).
So, what will Jared Stinson do for an encore in 2019, his senior season? Hard to imagine. He won’t have the running threat behind him to which he had grown accustomed. Matthews is gone, as is second leading rusher Connor Guthrie leaving Markeacio Jackson the lone backfield threat. Jackson, only gained 206 yards rushing in 2018, but to be fair, he also only carried it 21 times and still found the end zone 5 times or nearly every fourth carry.
Ground game aside, the receiving corp Stinson has been targeting returns, in 2019, almost entirely intact. Kade Neely (35 receptions, 925 receiving yards, with 14 TD receptions), Diaz Perry (35, 786, 9), and Alonzo Daniel (29, 490, 8) are all 2020’s, just like their signal-caller.
It would seem plausible a senior QB, flanked by senior receivers who have been extremely effective, would net an emphasis on passing and increase both Stinson’s attempts, completions, TDs and yardage. It would seem believable the Cardinals would emphasize the passing attack especially in light of 2018’s leading rushers all graduating this Spring. Of course, the contrary is possible too. Defenses may defend the down-field, aerial attack more effectively where the threat of the scrimmage-run is rendered less potent by attrition. It really is anyone’s guess.
However, if history has taught us anything, it has shown over Stinson’s 2017 and 2018 seasons that Jared is going to make the right decision with the football (only 9 interceptions over 405 passing attempts). History has shown Mayfield can find the end-zone via the forward pass (59 passing TDs in two years). History tells us Stinson has no trouble targeting down-field receivers (4,938 passing yards in two seasons). Finally, Mayfield will win with Jared under center (27-3 over its last 30 ball games).
Now, we at KPGFootball think some in the Kentucky press corp have been slow to give Stinson his just due owing to the system in which he plays. After all, both Jake Guhy and Landon Arnett had “Stinson-like” numbers when it was their turn at the wheel. That aside, we have seen Stinson play and believe him to have extraordinary talent.
We also believe Coach Morris and his staff do a fine job developing top-flight QBs. One would have to go back years to find a QB who wasn’t top-notch. We know for sure Jared Stinson certainly is…
Reporting for KPGFootball, this is F. W. Long reminding all of you ballers out there that #WeGotUCovered and to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE.
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