Saxton key for Lions’ offense
Drew Saxton is to South Fayette football what Tom Brady is to the New England Patriots.
“Drew is the face of the program,” said Lions’ head coach Joe Rossi. “Quarterback here has always been. Quarterback is what makes you go. It’s the money position in football and when you have a quarterback, it gives you a chance to win.
“His character and talent gives us a chance to win. He knows the game. He has the mind and the ability.”
Since he started playing football a dozen years ago, Saxton has always had the ability. It just took some time for coaches to figure out he was a natural at quarterback. When his father, Stew, signed him up for Pee Wee football, he was a center. After an experiment at fullback, Saxton is finally under center.
That’s where he’ll be today when the full-contact portion of football camps get underway after the hydration process required by the WPIAL ended Friday.
The 18-year-old Saxton enters this season as a three-year starter for the Lions.
He was a backup as a freshman to Brett Brumbaugh, who passed for 11,084 career yards and a WPIAL-record 127 touchdowns.
As a sophomore, he guided the Lions to a 12-1 record that featured a return trip to Heinz Field. The Lions lost in the waning minutes to rival Aliquippa in the WPIAL Class AA championship game.
Last year, the Lions moved up to Class 4A but Saxton led the Lions to another undefeated conference title and a 10-1 record. South Fayette lost to New Castle, 51-43, in the quarterfinals of the WPIAL playoffs. Saxton threw for 2,638 yards and 30 touchdowns. For his career, he has 4,703 yards and 61 TDs.
“He knows the game and it will slow down for him this season because of his experience,” Rossi said. “We’d throw it every down if we wanted to. Drew calls the plays himself. He makes great reads, progressive reads.”
Saxton has always been suited for quarterback. His personality and ability to handle pressure as well as process game situations fit the mold of a leader.
“It just comes naturally for me but as I got older, I’ve developed skills that enable me to become a better leader,” he said. “I like telling people what to do. And, at this position, you get to do that. The position has made me a leader. Playing quarterback has formed who I am and how I go about doing my job and playing football.”
Because Saxton takes his leadership role seriously, he added a new routine to his workout regiment in preparation for this season. In addition to team-building skills and practices, Saxton worked with Ryan Rizor at Focus Sports & Performance in Robinson Towne Center. His training focused on all aspects: physical, psychological and mental. Rizor was a standout athlete at West Greene High School.
“I’d work out and train a lot but I also worked on who I am as a person and my position, how my body works and how I can reach my full potential,” he said. “You learn how to get the most out of your performances and understand who you are as a person.”
Saxton vows there will be no reoccurrence of what happened against New Castle. While he acknowledged the Red Hurricane, with some Division I talent, were a good team, Saxton believes the Lions should have won.
“I stayed in the locker room for the longest time because I was so mad at myself and the unrealized potential we had,” he said. “We did not achieve what we wanted to do. That’s on my shoulders. I put that on myself. I should have done more to help us win.”
The move from Class AA had an effect on the Lions, who are 38-2 over the past three seasons.
“We were used to Double-A and we always won,” said Saxton. “Last year, our games were more challenging and I did not get the others ready enough for those challenges. What it comes down to is I had to do more in motivating all of us. As a quarterback, that’s your role. You have to carry it.”
Saxton says he thinks about the New Castle game every day.
“It bugs me a lot what happened and what could have been and what I could have done,” said Saxton, who is being recruited by Lafayette, Pennsylvania, Columbia and a host of Division III colleges, including Case Western, John Carroll and Washington & Jefferson.
Saxton does not play to set records but admits he would like to see Brumbaugh and him finish as No. 1 and No. 2 quarterback in the program.
As a freshman, he played on South Fayette’s undefeated (16-0) WPIAL and PIAA championship team. This fall, the Lions must contend with Thomas Jefferson, the reigning champion.
“Without a doubt, TJ is the team to beat,” Saxton said. “At South Fayette, that’s our goal every year. To compete for championships.”