’25 dual threat equally threatening
Tate Spillman is an athlete. Coming into this year, most college recruiters thought of him as a DB but he is putting in the work at the QB slot. The 6’1,” 160-pounder, who runs a 4.5-second 40-yard dash and doubles as a combo guard for the basketball team, accounted for over 300-yards of total offense and had a hand in 3-TD’s in the Trojans 40-22 victory over Trigg County’s Wildcats. Spillman is carrying a 4.0 GPA and has already applied for and received an NCAA ID No. so he is ready to get this recruiting thing moving.
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, KPGFootball
Glasgow, Kentucky: “Dual-threat,” when it comes to QB’s, has a much more expansive definition than when first conceived. Initially, it denoted a player who was equally adept and likely to run with the tater as opposed to just throwing it. Dual-threats used to lean toward taking off down the field first, then throwing in the absence of a running lane.
Now a days there is a premium on “survival” and “health.” Players are getting bigger and faster all the time. Gains in the strength, size, and explosion departments make some players somewhat reticent to just take off down the field.
Barren County’s Tate Spillman doesn’t share in that reticence. Spillman showed the Wildcats he was plenty willing to take off with the football if he didn’t get for what he was looking in the throw game.
Barren County is a 6A high-school which just beat Trigg County (3A) 40-22 this past Saturday night in the Don Franklin Auto Trojan Trail Turf War. Greenwood, Friday night, rolled Warren East 38-6 in the first part of the double header which was initially intended to be played on one. The weather conditions moved “game two” to Saturday night.
The score final margin was somewhat deceptive. Trigg was down to practically the freshman team by the second half (injuries/cramps/heat exhaustion), and were only tailing the Trojans by 4-points with a little over six (6)-minutes remaining the ball game’s fourth and final quarter.
Barren scored two late, cosmetic, 4th-quarter TD’s to account for the final margin. That’s called, “slapping some lipstick on the hog.”
We talked to assistant coach, Rusty Goble (Offensive Coordinator) at Trigg County about the depletion of Trigg’s forces over the course of the game. “I literally looked out there, at one point, and we were out of RB’s. I was down to my third-string QB and completely out of RB’s,” Coach Goble told us.
I…looked out there, at one point, and we were out of RB’s
Rusty Goble, Trigg County OC
Spillman, in deference to the other sideline, didn’t let up off the gas any. Spillman completed 11 of his 13-passing attempts (85% completion rate) for 185-yards and a TD passing. On the ground, Spillman carried it 14-times for 125-yards and a pair of TD’s.
of Spillman often
Barren County, known for pounding the rock as it were, nearly threw for 200-yards while still posting 253-yards rushing. In spite of the rare and whimsical night passing the football, Coach Muse’s team found a nearly perfect balance against the Wildcats.
Spillman did more than just run the offense. Spillman led his Trojans in scoring against Trigg and recorded two (2) tackles and an INT while playing defense.
Barren County is off to a hot start at 2-0 after downing Metcalfe County in the opener 30-0. Barren will host Warren East (4A), itself coming off a beat down, this coming Friday night and then will travel to Monroe (2A) and Glasgow (3A) in successive weekends.
Spillman, against Trigg, threw for 185-yards and added another 125-yards on the ground with a hand in 3-TD’s
KHSAA statistical website
Circle the Glasgow game. The “Scotties” are 2-0 themselves and are coming off an uncharacteristic 6-5 season in ’22. Glasgow went 12-2, and were 3A semifinalists as recently as 2021, losing in the semis, that year, to Paducah Tilghman.
In other words, regardless of classification, traveling to play the “Scotties” is no easy task in any year. The Trojans better unpack the “A” game for that matchup.
Tate Spillman is being followed by several football programs interested in his services, next level. Valparaiso is lurking about as is the football program at McKendree University.
It is still a little early to forecast where this ’25 dual-threat might end up or even in what sport. Spillman plays varsity basketball too.
What we can say for certain is Barren County looks very likely to beat last season’s 4-7 mark. They are certainly out of the gate very, very well.
This is Fletcher W. Long, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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