Blast from the past: How VHS tapes, fatherly influence formed Mustang QB Tyson Pogi

MUSTANG — Tyson Pogi has time-traveled to Lewis Field in the early 2000s through his family’s VHS tapes.

The videocassettes fell out of fashion years before the high school freshman was born, but the Pogis hold onto their collection.

Those tapes show Tyson glimpses of a football player quite unlike himself.

The quarterback in the Oklahoma State uniform is taller and burlier, while Tyson still has time to grow and build his game around his cannon of an arm. But the guy slinging the football is his father.

“He was pretty good,” Tyson said. “I’m not gonna lie.”

Throughout his childhood, the Mustang High School quarterback has listened to nostalgic tales of OSU football from his dad, Aso Pogi.

Aso has dealt with the insecurities that come with the backup quarterback title, and he knows what it’s like to suddenly inherit a starting role as a freshman when injuries take a toll on a roster.

After years of hearing about those experiences, Tyson is living them.

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Tyson opened the season in a third-string role, mostly gaining junior varsity reps, but unforeseen circumstances propelled him into Class 6A-I Mustang’s starting spot during Week 7 at Tulsa Union. Leading a varsity program in Oklahoma’s largest high school classification, the freshman has uplifted the Broncos in defiance of an injury-riddled season to achieve a winning record and a playoff berth.

Despite their differences in gameplay and personality, Tyson and his father have a common thread running through their football careers: answering the call during a challenging time.

Tyson’s lifelong immersion in the game, along with his unflappable demeanor, prepared him for the moment.

Mustang coach Lee Blankenship described Tyson as no ordinary high school freshman, and it isn’t only because he’s a teenager who can recognize a VHS tape.

“It’s not like we just bring all of our freshmen up,” Blankenship said. “You got to be really special to get moved up and have an opportunity to actually contribute on varsity. We saw that in Tyson.”

Tyson didn’t always see that in himself until he had no choice.

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‘An impossible situation’

Standing on the sideline in Tulsa Union’s colossal stadium, Tyson knew something was wrong.

Moments earlier, Mustang quarterback Trajan Williamson had slipped past the Redhawks’ stingy defense for a first-quarter touchdown. But when the junior tried to return to the game or even toss the ball on the sideline, he struggled.

“If it was a little injury, then Trajan would have walked it off and would have kept playing,” Tyson said. “But I knew, if he’s coming on the sideline saying that it’s hurting pretty bad, then I knew that I’d have to be up.”

Later, the Broncos would learn Williamson had broken his throwing hand, curtailing an impressive season as a first-year starter. Blankenship could tell the quarterback wasn’t healthy enough to finish the game, so the coach turned to Tyson.

Suddenly, the freshman found himself in the eye of the menacing storm known as Union’s defense.

Blankenship described it as “an impossible situation” for Tyson.

The Broncos’ plan to showcase Williamson’s run game had collapsed, and the original offense wasn’t set up to complement Tyson’s strengths. Blankenship didn’t want to risk injury to Tyson by asking him to run the ball against older, much larger defenders, so the Broncos had to essentially view the ensuing three quarters as an experiment.

His parents didn’t pretend it was easy to watch.

“We were a little bit nervous,” Aso said. “Obviously – that’s your kid; he weighs about 150 pounds playing in a 6A-I football game.”

Tyson had a different perspective.

He endured some freshman blunders as the Redhawks’ talented defensive backs baited him into throwing a few interceptions, yet the aftermath of a 46-7 loss on Tulsa Union’s turf marked a turning point in his young career.

Immediately facing powerhouse Union was like skydiving if you’re scared of heights – any other challenge seems a little easier after that.

Tyson realized he had a new sense of confidence.

Although Blankenship elevated Tyson to the varsity team at the start of the season, the young quarterback expected more of himself. He was one of four guys competing for a starting role, initially waiting behind Williamson and move-in Mikey Gow, a highly touted ambidextrous thrower who later left the program.

“I kept on doubting myself, not thinking I was good enough,” Tyson said.

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A common challenge

Aso could relate to his son. He had started his Cowboy career even further down the depth chart, left with the fifth-string role.

Partway through his redshirt freshman season in the fall of 2000, injuries depleted the Cowboys’ depth, and Aso was the next man up.

In his starting debut against Iowa State, he threw for 328 yards and two touchdowns, setting an OSU freshman single-game passing record. These weren’t the 10-win Cowboys of recent years – OSU toiled through a 3-8 season – but Aso posted abundant numbers, becoming the first Cowboy quarterback with two consecutive 300-yard passing games.

The key difference between his situation and Tyson’s lies in the amount of time they had to prepare, Aso said. Throughout the week leading up to the Iowa State game, Aso knew he was going to start.

Fast-forward 23 years, and Tyson had to instantly respond to the shock of Williamson’s injury with the Tulsa Union crowd surrounding him.

The younger Pogi’s go-with-the-flow personality kept him from panicking.

“I was a lot more emotional as a quarterback,” Aso said. “And Tyson, he’s not like that.”

Letting mistakes roll off his back, Tyson already knew how to navigate the mental part of the game.

He just had to grow through experience.

Tyson threw his first touchdown pass against Norman. By the time the Broncos faced Edmond North, he was completing 16 of 18 pass attempts for 292 yards and five touchdowns, guiding his team to a resounding 48-10 win.

That was only the second start of Tyson’s varsity career. He followed that performance with last week’s 36-30 victory over Edmond Memorial, securing a spot in the Class 6A-I playoffs.

Tyson and his father gave credit to Blankenship and the Bronco coaching staff, who improvised and revamped the offense after the Union loss to fit the new starter’s fortés. Strong connections with talented teammates such as receiver Jaden Johnson, who has eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards this season, also help.

Blankenship recognized another reason why a freshman has so quickly learned to thrive in pressure-packed situations.

Blankenship sees Tyson reflecting the mechanics and mindset passed down from Aso, a longtime high school coach who now trains Oklahoma City-area quarterbacks through his I-4 Sports Academy.

“You can tell obviously Tyson is a coach’s kid,” Blankenship said, “and his dad’s had a huge influence on him.”

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Balance off the field

When Tyson walks through the door and greets his family at home, he wants to talk about anything but football.

Sometimes, his father can’t help but slip into his coaching habits, blurting out some questions about practice or throwing mechanics. Tyson doesn’t linger on the subject.

“I try to change it to anything,” Tyson said, laughing. “It doesn’t matter what it is.”

Tyson has grown up with a sideline pass to the game, tagging along with Aso for training sessions and high school matchups from the age of 5, but the father and son consciously make sure their relationship revolves around more than football. Aso said he trusts Blankenship and the Bronco coaches, and he doesn’t want to interfere with their approach.

Away from the field, Tyson’s family anchors him, whether they’re gathering for dinner or bonding over movies. He takes advice from his older sister, Talia, a sophomore basketball player at the University of Central Oklahoma. His mother, Tabitha, prefers gospel singing over playing sports, but Tyson’s defining trait as a quarterback comes from her.

The family describes Tyson and his mother as quiet thinkers, people who sit back and observe before they react. This is why Tyson can so easily take his father’s advice about “moving on to the next play.”

It also means Tyson is so even-keeled after a big highlight that it sometimes makes Aso laugh.

When Tyson delivered his first varsity touchdown pass, Blankenship had an animated reaction, greeting Tyson with an exuberant embrace on the sideline. Although the quarterback enjoyed the moment, he didn’t outwardly celebrate.

“He’s a ninth grader in a huge district game, and he just comes jogging off like he’s done it 100 times before,” Blankenship said.

The cool, calm quarterback is still a kid with three seasons of high school football ahead of him, and the next test is a first-round playoff matchup at Westmoore, a team that has drastically improved since last season. Tyson said he’s putting more responsibility on his shoulders heading into this game, motivated to win for his senior teammates.

And Aso is just observing. After Tyson grew up seeing Aso’s game film, it’s the father’s turn to proudly watch his son.

“Overall, I’m just a fan,” Aso said. “I get to sit back and watch, and whether good or bad, Tyson’s gonna be loved and supported by his family at home. We’re really proud of his opportunities and the way he handled those situations. But we’re just proud of the Mustang football team.”

Hallie Hart covers high school sports for The Oklahoman. Have a story idea for Hallie? She can be reached at hhart@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @halliehart. Sign up for The Varsity Club newsletter to access more high school coverage. Support Hallie's work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing adigital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How Tyson Pogi has uplifted Mustang with influence from his father