But after 60 minutes of football that first weekend, it was clear that another quarterback was out to force himself into the discussion.
Out in California's Inland Empire, the Corona (Calif.) Santiago Sharks played host to White and the Hart Indians, and the result was a thrilling 56-49 victory for Hart. And while the Hart offense received much of the praise, Santiago's Blake Barnett threw for 287 yards and five touchdowns and had an 87-yard score on the ground. The game was televised, and for those watching around the Southern California region, the game raised one giant question.
Who is Blake Barnett?
Not long after the game aired, Blake's father, Lance Barnett, received a phone call.
"Steve Clarkson called," Barnett said of the renowned quarterback trainer and developer. "He said, 'I can't believe I've never heard of your son.' "
Ten games later, it's tough not to hear about Barnett. The 6-foot-4, 185-pound quarterback threw for 2,332 yards and 22 touchdowns and rushed for 695 yards and 13 touchdowns in his first year as a starter. His first scholarship offer came from UCLA, following the third game of the season. An October unofficial visit to Notre Dame netted him an offer from the Fighting Irish, the school to which he committed in late November. Barnett also holds offers from Arizona, California, Colorado, Mississippi and West Virginia.
Blake Barnett
Quarterback: Pocket passer
2015
Committed: Notre Dame
Pos Rk Stars Grade Hometown
11
77 Corona, CA
It has been a steady upward trajectory for Barnett, who almost didn't play football at all.
Lance Barnett raced motocross for 20 years, so it was only natural that Blake take up the sport at six years old.
"He did that for two years, but he was such a phenomenal athlete," Lance Barnett said. "I said, 'You're too good of an athlete to waste your talent riding motorcycles.' "
Barnett began playing football at age eight, and almost gave it up after one year. Lance remembers Blake hating the sport his first season, as he was slotted at defensive end, due to his height and speed. Eventually, Blake was moved to quarterback, where he remembers things really beginning to click as an eighth-grader.
But as a sophomore at Santiago, Barnett had to hit the brakes a bit, as he sat behind the starting quarterback and was only able to play late in games. He watched his peers excel at other schools during the 2013 season, and the competitive flame was fanned.
This past offseason, while the 2015 quarterback class in California was being hailed as perhaps the most talented and deepest group in more than a decade, Barnett's name was completely absent.
"I definitely heard that," Barnett said. "I knew a lot of those kids started as sophomores and were able to get their names out there. I think it just made me work harder to prepare myself for this season, so I could hopefully get my name out there."
Barnett's dad echoed his son's thoughts, and laughed a bit when asked if the consistent praise of the others burned at Barnett a bit.
"It still does," Lance Barnett said. "It definitely put a chip on Blake's shoulder, and it's probably still there. ... But, he's pretty even-keeled, so he uses it as motivation."
"I'm pretty good friends with some of the quarterbacks, and we're going to be seeing a lot of each other this offseason, so there is no reason for bitterness between us," Barnett said. "Most of us will be playing against each other in college, as well."
This past summer, Barnett -- still an unknown on a national level -- attended the Manning Passing Academy and was pulled aside by one of the coaches. Later that night, Lance asked his son what the coach said to him.
"He said, 'He told me someday I'd be back at this camp as a mentor when I'm playing big-time football at a major university,' " Lance recalls his son telling him.
It was certainly a hint that things were headed in the right direction for Barnett.
A question mark heading into the season, Barnett is very pleased with the definite path he's on now. After receiving the offer from head coach Brian Kelly during his first visit to Notre Dame, Barnett said he wanted to return home to discuss it with his parents.
"When coach Kelly offered, it changed my whole recruiting process," Barnett said. "It was the school I wanted more than anything else. It felt right as my first instinct, and your first decision most of the time is normally the right one. It fit best, and it's the right one for me. Coaches can come and go, but Notre Dame is going to be strong for a long time."
Programs will continue to court the speedy quarterback throughout his senior season, but Barnett doesn't see himself suiting up in anything other than blue and gold in 2015. But first, he'll have one more offseason and a senior year to provide even more of an answer, just in case anyone is still wondering, "Who is Blake Barnett?"
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