Sep 2, 2015 4 min read

Drew Saxton and Mikey Speca certainly didn’t make South Fayette head football coach Joe Rossi’s job easy. When faced with the challenge of replacing record-setting quarterback Brett Brumbaugh, Rossi was hoping one of his two options would separate themselves as the clear-cut starter to lead the Lions into 2015.

That didn’t happen.

Both quarterbacks were so good that Rossi and a group of assistant coaches were still debating the question last Friday night after a scrimmage at South Fayette Stadium. They wrestled with the question until it was decided that Saxton, a sophomore who backed up Brumbaugh last fall, would be the starting quarterback and Speca, a do-it-all junior athlete, would play a variety of positions.

The opportunity to get both on the field at the same time was too tempting to pass up.

“We felt that was the best thing right now,” Rossi said. “Mikey was awesome in the first scrimmage and that’s why it was so difficult. Both of them are tremendous high school quarterbacks, but ultimately we felt getting them both on the field at the same time was best. Mikey is a tremendous athlete and will play a lot for us.”

Speca ran for 65 yards and threw two touchdowns in the Lions’ first scrimmage against Chartiers Valley, but Saxton, a 5-10 pocket passer similar to Brumbaugh, shined last Friday against Canon-McMillan, completing 10 of 11 passes and tossing three touchdowns.

After South Fayette’s players gathered Saturday to analyze footage from the scrimmage, Saxton received a phone call from offensive coordinator Shane Patterson with news that he will be the starting quarterback Friday night when the Lions play at East Allegheny (7 p.m.) and put a 32-game winning streak on the line.

“I was really excited to be the starter, but I’m nervous coming in for Brett,” Saxton said. “It’s a huge thing to do. I’m just going to prepare and do my best. I struggled in the first scrimmage and Coach Patterson called me after. He said to keep my confidence up.

“Every time you go out on the field, you need to think you’re the best player on that field, no matter who’s on there. I went out in the second one and just had fun.”

Saxton showed pinpoint accuracy against the Big Macs, connecting with senior wide receiver Nick Ponikvar on the first throw of the night for a long touchdown and was effective managing the Lions’ offense. He won’t be asked to replicate Brumbaugh’s numbers. The Duquesne freshman threw for a state-record 11,084 yards in his four years at South Fayette, including 3,738 and 42 touchdowns as a senior.

Saxton can lean on senior running back Hunter Hayes, a Division I recruit who rushed for 2,103 yards and 33 touchdowns last fall, and five returning starters on the offensive line. He also has two returning starters at wide receiver – Ponikvar, who eclipsed 1,000 yards last year, and junior Dan Trimbur.

“It’s amazing,” Saxton said of his supporting cast. “I know when I drop back that I’ll have all the time in the world. I’ll be able to drop back, make my reads and I’m not going to be scrambling out of the pocket. We always know we can give the ball to Hunter and get five or six yards a play.”

Saxton does not lack experience. He led the Lions’ junior varsity team to a 9-0 record as a freshman and was the scout team quarterback during last year’s PIAA playoffs. He also saw time with the varsity late in games, completing 13 of 23 passes for 84 yards.

Saxton knows there is pressure leading the two-time defending WPIAL and PIAA champions, and Friday will be only the ninth game since 2008 that South Fayette’s quarterback is not named Brumbaugh, but he’s blocking out any comparisons.

“It’s tough taking over for him,” Saxton said. “Everyone is saying that, ‘Oh, you’re not going to be as good as Brett.’ They weren’t asking me or Mikey to come in and be Brett. They want me to come in, run the offense, command the huddle and whenever they need a throw, I need to make it.”