Best High School QB ever from O.C.?

[MDDad]

The problem with these "best ever" threads is that too many people start to interject kids because they are personal favorites. Probably a third of the kids mentioned so far don't really belong in the discussion.

[kid66]

Lukash maybe your favorite, doesn't mean he belongs on the all time QB from OC.

In my opinion the Mount Rushmore of OC QB's is as follows, but not in any particular order:
First Tier:
Billy Blanton
JT Daniels
Carson Palmer
Todd Marinovich

Second Tier:
Matt Barkley
Rob Johnson
Conner Manning

Third Tier:
Kevin Feterick
John Flynn
Sam Darnold
Mark Sanchez

[watchersince68]

So what should be the criteria for "Best Ever"?
Wins
Big wins
Stats
QB rating

[TommyTrojan]

Coached against a few of those guys and the addition of Manning is a good one. I think Sears was a better HS QB from San Clemente than Darnold. Would also include the La Habra QB from 3 years ago (their most recent CIF title where they beat SC in the finals). I hadn't seen a guy who could so effortlessly do whatever he wanted both on film and in our game. Pat Barnes and Manning from Trabuco were two of the best I saw in the late 80's early 90's.

[watchersince68]

JT: I coulda been better. I coulda broke every record in the book.

Rollo: And then?

JT: And then? And then when I walked down the street people would've looked and they would've said there goes JT Daniels, the best there ever was in this game.

Courtesy of the Natural

[cruiser]

John Huarte, MD grad, 1961.... one of the best pure passers in OC high school FB history in an
era,where almost all coaches thought, in the pass, three things can happen and two are bad!

IN the end,up to now, you have to give it to JT Daniels.

[hit the lights]

Carson Palmer, the best meaning, coming out of OC and went the furthest in their profession?
Carson seems to have done the most at the next level. Santa Margarita grad.
The books have yet to be written though, JT has to be the best coming out of HS, and early.
Did you forget Matt Leinhart? Has to be top rung above Blanton.

[frankieboy12]

I'll make the case that just for 1 year Norwood at SM was very high-level.

[SWLGenie]

cant count norwood. he was bounced in the first round by a public school

[OutOfState]

I don't know if he was the best but my favorite is Billy Blanton.

[TomDrake]

Tough question. We we are fortunate to have so many great QBs come out of our area. Here are my humble thoughts, based on their high school years for their era (Sorry... I did not see Huarte play). We've had some incredible QBs.. there are many, many arguments to be made.

1. Carson Palmer (Santa Margarita)
2. J.T. Daniels (Mater Dei)
3. Todd Marinovich (Capo Valley)
4. Matt Barkley (Mater Dei)
5. Mark Sanchez (Mission Viejo)
6. Steve Beurelein (Servite)
7. Rob Johnson (El Toro)
8. Tommy Grady (Edison)
9. Steve Stenstrom (El Toro)
10. Matt Leinart (Mater Dei)

My more "obscure reference" is Doug Baughman (Bolsa Grande).

My pick for "had he not been injured as a senior" is Johnny Stanton (Santa Margarita).

The honorable mention list would have about 50 names.

[cruiser]

Palmer is a good choice but SM played in D5 during his HS years not to say he is one of the great HSQB's
but if you were around at the time, D5 was no where at the talent level of D1, fyi

[TomDrake]

That my be... But 2 of the best OC players ever met in the D5 Championship that year (Foster and Palmer)... and they both delivered... great game!

[MDDad]

Tom, that is an excellent list and a good starting point. I'd make only a couple changes.

(1) I'd certainly put Billy Blanton on this list before Matt Leinart. Matt was a great high school quarterback, but he had very average arm strength and couldn't run worth a lick.

(2) I'd drop Steve Stenstrom and find a spot in the middle of the pack somewhere for Kevin Feterik.

(3) I'd reverse the top two positions, for several reasons.
(a) I agree with cruiser when he says, as great as he was, Palmer played his entire career in Division 5 against often less than mediocre opposition. It would have been a blast to see what he could do against top notch opponents in Division 1.
(b) Daniels makes the top two without playing his senior season. If he had, I think there would be no debate.
(c) As great as J.T.'s physical gifts and accomplishments were, the mental side of his game was twice as good, and his football I.Q. was the best I've ever seen at any position. Remember, this is a kid who in 8th grade played in two or three high school club all-star tournaments against the best club teams and junior and senior players in the state. He was one of the two best quarterbacks in those tournaments, and he was the only kid who called his own plays. I don't think Palmer or anyone else in that top ten can put that on their resume.

(4) The kid that scared me the most when we played him, because he absolutely refused to lose and could will his team to win, was Aaron Corp. I'm not sure he doesn't belong on this list somewhere.

(5) I also never saw John Huarte play, but it would be an interesting discussion to see if greats from the late 60's and early 70's like George Fraser and Bobby Acosta would make the list.

[Sixth Man]

Best Pro Carson Palmer
Best College Matt Leinert
Best High School JT Daniels

[Sixth Man]

Norwood? C'mon man. We're talking best ever. He wasn't even close to the best this year. Darnold was not that great in high school. Saw most of the guys on the list. Blanton was probably my favorite. Mater Dei had a slew of them. Money must be doing something right to have that impact.

[longtimeobserver]

I agree with MDDad on Aaron Corp---Was so glad to see him graduate and MD didn't have to
face him again - ----He had great games against MD!!!

John Huarte would have to be mentioned on the list----he was an exceptional talent---and
could compete with almost any of the above mentioned.

[MDDad]

Best Pro Carson Palmer
Best College Matt Leinert
Best High School JT Daniels

After thinking about it, I agree.

[Sixth Man]

Best in Firepower could be Los Al 1994 though. Feterik, Guyness, Hartley, and Melsby. BYU, USC, Oregon, and UCLA.

[kid66]

Good call on Aaron Corp. He was a beast to handle. True dual threat. He belongs on the top 10 list for sure.

Ha, Doug Baughman threw for a ton of yards, be he played against lesser talent. I think he threw for almost 600 yards in a game.