High school football: Avon QB Mason Reynolds makes college decision

One of the state’s top quarterbacks decided it was time to get locked into his college decision.

Avon’s Mason Reynolds, who will be a senior this fall, committed to Western Michigan on Thursday night following a campus visit. The 6-2, 210-pound Reynolds, a two-time Junior All-State selection by the Indiana Football Coaches Association, said the Western Michigan offensive style and coaching staff appealed to him.

“To be honest it was the coaches and everything about the offense fits me perfectly,” Reynolds said. “The head coach, coach (Lance) Taylor, is an awesome guy who has been everywhere.”

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Reynolds, a two-year starter at Avon, also had scholarship offers from Illinois State, Lindenwood and Toledo. He had interest from all of the Mid-American Conference schools other than Buffalo. Indiana, Purdue and Louisville had also been involved.

“I wasn’t really considering anyone (over another),” said Reynolds, who was offered by Western Michigan two weeks ago. “I was just waiting for a good school like that and then after being there, the campus is beautiful and I really liked everything about it.”

Taylor was hired at Western Michigan in December after working as the offensive coordinator at Louisville in 2022. The previous three years he was the running backs coach and run game coordinator at Notre Dame. Taylor also has NFL experience with the Carolina Panthers and New York Jets.

Reynolds said he developed a connection with Western Michigan assistant David Denham, a former Pike and Ball State standout, and offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Billy Cosh, who recently watched Reynolds at Avon’s college day.

“It seemed the entire time like he was their guy,” said Avon coach Rob Gibson, who is going into his first season with the Orioles. “Since I got here in February, that’s been their conversation. I know Mason wanted to be committed before the start of his senior year. For the quarterback position, I think by the end of June he needed to have it narrowed down. But Western was one of the first teams to come in and Mason became No. 1 on their board.”

Reynolds is one of the most accomplished and experienced quarterbacks in the state. He completed 50.3% of his passes as a junior for 2,111 yards and 16 touchdowns with eight interceptions and rushed for 267 yards and four TDs. As a sophomore, Reynolds passed for 2,292 yards and 22 TDs.

Avon struggled in the win-loss column each of those seasons, going a combined 3-18 in 2021 and ’22. Longtime coach Mark Bless retired and Gibson was hired after leading Owen Valley to a 22-3 record the past two seasons and back-to-back Class 3A sectional championships.

Reynolds said he is excited about Gibson’s offensive style and expects a turnround for the Orioles this fall.

“A lot of people aren’t even thinking about Avon right now,” Reynolds said. “But we’re going to be a lot better.”

Gibson said Reynolds has been one of the team’s “hardest workers in the weight room.”

“We changed a lot schematically and he’s accepted the changes and rolled with them,” Gibson said. “He’s playing at a high level right now as a leader. He’s one of our hardest workers and that translates to the field and the classroom. I’m impressed with how he’s picked everything up with the new coaching staff.”

Gibson said a lot of high-level FCS programs, “basically every MAC school” and several Power Five schools were interested. In another month, Reynolds’ offer list could have looked a little different. “But Western really set themselves apart,” Gibson said.

Reynolds goes into his senior year not only looking to lead his team to a turnaround, but with some personal goals in mind. Brandon Peters, the 2015 IndyStar Mr. Football, holds most of Avon’s career passing records, including 6,843 career yards. Reynolds set the single-game passing record with 404 yards.

“I’ve trained with him,” Reynolds said of Peters, who played at Michigan and Illinois in college. “I’d like to break some more of his records.”

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Football recruiting: Avon QB Mason Reynolds picks Western Michigan