A point guard in the pocket: Carmel QB showed enough in debut for D-I offers to pile up

CARMEL — There are not a lot of cases of a sophomore quarterback coming into Class 6A football as a first-year starter and lighting the world on fire.

Anthony Coellner knew that going into his sophomore year at Carmel. After winning the job, Coellner showed plenty of promise in his first season.

“I feel like that first year was kind of an experience year,” he said. “... I was basically adjusting to how fast the defenders are, how big they are. Now going into year two, I’m going to be a lot more relaxed and know what I’m doing in the pocket and all of that.”

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The 6-2, 195-pound Coellner grew up playing basketball and football. As a freshman, he played on the junior varsity basketball team and saw a little action on varsity in three games. He played on a 15U Grand Park Premier team that won the Under Armour national championship in July 2023 with players like Plainfield’s Noah Smith and Noblesville’s Baron Walker.

“I have a little basketball background and I feel like it translates on the (football) field,” Coellner said. “Being a point guard and getting the ball to all of your wide receivers and being able to make twitchy moves in the pocket. I feel like it all correlates. I grew up playing basketball and football my whole life, but I was kind of heavy on basketball.”

Coellner decided to “put the basketball down” going into his sophomore year and focus on football. With 2022 starter Jackson Kazmierczak and backup Cameron Carmichael gone to graduation, the Greyhounds had an opening at quarterback. Coellner won the job, making all 10 starts in a 5-5 season. He completed 56.1% of his passes for 937 yards and eight touchdowns with 11 interceptions and ran for 298 yards and two TDs.

“He showed a lot of confidence last year as a sophomore to come in and start every game, play every snap,” Carmel coach John Hebert said. “When it was a great schedule that we played a lot of really challenging games, it makes it hard to mark the progress in the moment. But when it’s over and he got back in the weight room and back to throwing and everything, I think he really started to emerge. He’s grown in the over the last six months and you can see a little bit more every day. He’s louder when he speaks, has more energy running the offense. He’s really locked into what we’re doing, too. Having experience is a big part of that.”

Coellner should have an improved position group at wide receiver this season. Junior Jake Bellin (11 catches for 194 yards and two touchdowns in eight games), the younger brother of former Carmel standout and Indiana preferred walk-on Reece Bellin, is the top statistical returner, along with senior tight end Ozzy Pollard (16 catches for 137 yards and two TDs). Bolstering that group will be senior speedster Nathan Williams, a transfer from Lake Forest (Ill.) who started out in school at Carmel and is the younger brother of former Carmel standouts Christian and Solomon Williams.

“He’s one of the fastest players I’ve ever seen,” Coellner said of Williams. “I feel like I’m going to have some great weapons to throw to.”

Senior Carson Mace returns and 6-6 senior Liam Mann returns from injury. Mann, after he was watched by college coaches at Carmel’s spring showcase earlier this month, was offered by Toledo.

“We feel like we have a lot of different options there,” Hebert said. “(Mann) has really grown and developed in the offseason. He’s a big target and catches the ball well. We want to be able to run the ball and protect the passer and intend for our defense to be a major strength, too. It looks to me like we’re on pace for that.”

Coellner looked the part at Carmel’s college showcase, performing in front of a group of college coaches that included Indiana, Michigan State, Purdue and West Virginia. Coellner picked up his first offer, from Maryland, in January. He added offers from Cincinnati, Miami (Ohio), Troy, Indiana and Toledo this spring.

“I’ve been busy visiting schools and all that sort of stuff,” Coellner said. “That’s kind of slowing down and I’ve been focusing on my team and spring practice. Now I feel like it’s going to pick back up in the summer, going on official visits and throwing in front of those coaches in person at camps. I’ll do that up through June and July and then focus on my high school team and giving our best shot to be able to win a state championship.”

In addition to the schools that have offered him, Coellner visited Michigan, Michigan State, USC and UCLA this spring. He will take a visit to Clemson on June 4. He also has plans for attended a throwing camp in Dallas and visit TCU and the Northwestern mega camp.

“I’m just taking it all in,” he said. “Each school is a different experience. I’m thankful to be in the position that I’m in, just checking it out and doing that sort of stuff.”

Hebert said Coellner’s playmaking ability stands out. He showed that off during the college showcase, scrambling out of the pocket and making a lob pass with touch on the run for a big gain.

“He can make plays when it looks like there is not a play to be made,” Hebert said. “When things break down, he can make something happen. Last year we really relied on that. Hopefully this year we’ll have playmakers so we can limit those moments and make it a little more intentional.”

Coellner had some of those moments late last year. His best statistical game was in a 37-21 loss to Westfield in the sectional as he passed for 254 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 53 yards. The negative from that game was three interceptions.

“One jump I need to make is my decision making on the field,” he said. “Last year I was obviously a little nervous. I was a sophomore my first year playing varsity. I feel like those nerves have kind of gone away. I’m really going to work my butt off in the film room and get ready.”

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

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IU, Cincinnati, Maryland among offers for Carmel QB Anthony Coellner