Meet 10 of the top QBs in Louisville area for 2023 Kentucky high school football season
As the 2023 high school football season approaches, several Louisville-area schools return solid quarterbacks while a few will be breaking in new signal callers.
The leader of the area crop looks to be Christian Academy senior Cole Hodge, who has committed to East Carolina University and just missed the 3,000-yard plateau last season.
Here’s a look at 10 of the top quarterbacks in the Louisville area for the 2023 season, listed alphabetically:
Jace Bullock, North Oldham
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-1/190
What to know: Bullock helped the Mustangs go 5-7 last season and get their first playoff victory since 2014. He completed 141 of 288 passes (48.9%) for 1,797 yards and 16 touchdowns and also rushed for five scores. His 2,056 career passing yards are a school record. Bullock has a new head coach this season in Brock Roberts and will look to cut down on his interceptions after throwing 16 last year.
Eli Creech, Manual
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-3/210
What to know: Creech was on his way to a solid junior season in 2022 before suffering a broken collarbone that forced him to miss seven games. He returned for the Class 6A playoffs and helped the Crimsons reach the second round before falling to eventual state champion Bullitt East 36-35. For the season, Creech completed 50 of 90 passes (55.6%) for 682 yards and six touchdowns with two interceptions.
Kade Goodin, Collins
Year: Freshman
Height/weight: 6-2/170
What to know: A three-sport star, Goodin is one of the state’s top athletes in the Class of 2027 and will replace his brother, Kenyon, as Collins’ starting quarterback. “He is one of the top prospects in his class as a wide receiver and defensive back, but he’s had a great summer learning the quarterback position,” Collins coach Jerry Lucas said. “We feel like he’ll be one of the top quarterbacks in the state as a freshman.”
Nick Hamilton, South Oldham
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 5-10/184
What to know: Hamilton enters his second year as the Dragons’ starter after completing 96 of 204 passes (47%) last season for 1,646 yards and 11 touchdowns with 12 interceptions. He also rushed for 285 yards and three touchdowns while helping South Oldham to an 8-5 record and a trip to the third round of the Class 5A playoffs.
Ethan 'E.T.' Harris, Kentucky Country Day
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-2/165
What to know: Harris enters his second season as the starter after helping the Bearcats go 9-3 last season. He completed 112 of 189 passes (59.2%) for 1,718 yards and 21 touchdowns with six interceptions. He also rushed for 224 yards and six scores and was named Class A, District Three Player of the Year. Coach Matthew Jones said Harris is one of the “fastest and best athletes in Class A and has added much-needed bulk in the off-season.” Harris has college offers from McKendree, Southern Illinois and VMI.
Trevor Havill, St. Xavier
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-5/210
What to know: Havill enters his second season as the starting quarterback after completing 81 of 135 passes (60%) for 1,006 yards and 12 touchdowns with three interceptions last season as St. X finished 10-2. He also rushed for 61 yards and four touchdowns. Also a high-level lacrosse player, Havill has football offers from Bucknell, Cornell and Tennessee-Martin.
Jackson Hepner, Trinity
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-2/195
What to know: Hepner projects as the top candidate to be QB1 after the graduation of Drew Allen. Last season Hepner battled an injury to his ribs and played in five games, completing 4 of 10 passes for 24 yards as the Shamrocks finished 8-5. Hepner is battling junior Will DeSensi for the starting position.
Cole Hodge, Christian Academy
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-2/190
What to know: Hodge will look to keep the momentum going for a Christian Academy squad that went 15-0 last season and won the Class 3A state championship. The East Carolina commit completed 169 of 232 passes (72.8%) for 2,949 yards and 48 touchdowns with just four interceptions last season. He also rushed for 711 yards and nine touchdowns and earned honorable-mention All-State honors from The Courier Journal. He also was named Class 3A, District Four Player of the Year.
Kolter Smith, Male
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-0/190
What to know: Smith threw his first varsity pass as a freshman in 2020 but will finally get his shot as the No. 1 starter at Male after the graduation of Lucas Cobler. Smith got plenty of action as the backup last season, completing 56 of 96 passes (58.3%) for 871 yards and 12 touchdowns with four interceptions as the Bulldogs finished 10-5 after falling to Bullitt East in the Class 6A state final. He has several college offers, including from Kentucky State.
Jack Zwernemann, Bullitt East
Year: Senior
Height/weight: 6-0/200
What to know: Perhaps no quarterback in Kentucky has bigger shoes to fill than Zwernemann, who was the backup last season as Travis Egan led the Chargers to the Class 6A state championship. Egan is now at the University of Louisville, and it’s up to Zwernemann to lead an offense that averaged 39.3 points per game last season. In limited action, Zwernemann completed 13 of 21 passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for 77 yards and a score. He primarily played defense, posting 29 tackles (20 solo) as the starting strong safety. He has an offer from Thomas More College.
Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs.
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This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA football 2023: Top Louisville, Kentucky high school quarterbacks
