Two different styles, same results: Jadin Daniels, Dylan Fromm have quarterbacked their teams to the state semis while representing the city of Warner Robins in a big way

The Georgia High School Associations quarterfinals,

at least for some, were the last high school football games of many player’s

careers. For Northside senior quarterback Jadin Daniels and Warner Robins

senior quarterback Dylan Fromm their senior seasons continue, as does their

high level of play, in particular during the playoffs. The Eagles and Demons

are playing for spots in the 6A and 5A state title games in Fridays’ semifinals

and the play from their respective quarterbacks has been crucial to say the

least in regards to earning the right to play for a spot in Atlanta on Dec. 11

and 12.

 

Asked them if they are ready for a shot at winning

a state tile and you will get quarterback-speak mixed with bravado and a side

of darn tootin’.

 

“There’s no better feeling,” answered Fromm via

text late Tuesday night. “This is where you work for six months to get and I’m

ecstatic to have another opportunity to play this Friday.”

 

“It feels great, we came into playoffs with a 5-5

record and now we’re just coming together and playing Northside football,” said

Daniels by phone the same night.

 

The reaction to playing in the state semifinals is

the same but the players in question, they are not. Daniels and Fromm could not

be more different if the eyes were the sole judge of the young men playing

quarterback on Friday night for the Demons and Eagles. Thankfully there are

still some of us that don’t judge a book by their covers, thankfully a

quarterback’s worth can’t be judged by the way he throws, or runs, or where

he’s going to college or his lineage. In some cases quarterbacks are judged by

how many games their teams win and how they represent their football programs

and communities. Under the later criteria, both Fromm and Daniels are similar,

and among the best in the state. Two players, two different styles, one city,

same result: Playing for a spot in the state championship game.

 

For Fromm it will be a final chance at winning a

state title after the Demons lost to Rome High School in the final game last

year. For Daniels it will be a chance to lead his team to a state title as a

starter.  

 

Long journey to the top

 

Jadin Daniels, like Dylan Fromm, got the nod to

become the starting quarterback as a junior. After watching high school stars

play in front of them, Fromm behind current University of Georgia sophomore

quarterback and older brother Jake Fromm while a sophomore at Houston County

High School and Daniels as understudy for current Georgia Tech standout

sophomore quarterback Tobias Oliver, the two stars had their bumps and bruises

but learned from them to become the players they are today. The backups have

come a long way to become successful starting quarterbacks on the cusp of

greatness, just ask their coaches.

 

“Jadin has been great all year long, he’s leading

our region in rushing and that’s saying something in our region,” said

Northside head coach and athletic director Kevin Kinsler, who added that the

hype surrounding Daniels’ play during the playoffs should not take away from

how good he has been playing as a starter the past two seasons.

 

Kinsler knows his quarterbacks after having coached

for decades and for the past nine seasons at Northside. “Right now, total

offense, he’s right at 3,000 yards for the season,” adds Kinsler. Now everybody

is kind of noticing but he’s been playing like this all year.”

 

“He’s really, really good, an unbelievable worker,

a leader and has that ‘it factor,’ said Warner Robins head football coach and

athletic director Mike Chastain of Fromm, the reigning 1-AAAAA Player of the

year. “Dylan is a coach on the field.” Fromm and Chastain are tied at the hip

after both are large parts of the rebuild at Warner Robins beginning with the

first game of the 2017 season when they broke a losing streak to rival

Northside in the season opener. Their coach-player relationship dates back to

when Fromm was a middle school player tagging along to watch his older brother

work out. “Dylan has been in this offense since the 7th grade,” says Chastain.

“In summers and off seasons, he would come up and work with us.”

 

That worked has paid off in a big way, as Fromm is

committed to play at Mercer University next year. The decision came on the

heels of a great junior season, 3,505 passing yards, 35 touchdowns, and just 10

interceptions with a .635 completion percentage in 15 games. As impressive as

those numbers are they are even better this season. Fromm has passed for 3,727

yards and 40 touchdowns with just eight interceptions with a .640 completion

percentage good enough for a 114.0 quarterback rating. All this in two fewer

games than last season. The progression from first-year starter to stud

collegiate prospect has been fast. “I think its just part of growing as a

quarterback and feeling more comfortable out there,” says Fromm. “As an offense

we have been on the same page consistently and that’s when big plays happen.”

 

Big plays like the second half touchdown pass from

Fromm to junior receiver Marcayl Jones (1,744 yards receiving and counting this

season) that put the Demons ahead for good against Clarke Central High School

during the quarterfinals. According to Chastain Fromm has been voted team

captain every week by his teammates and that was one of the many signs that he

has earned the trust of the team. “I love knowing that my teammates are

counting on me to move the ball on offense and distribute it to each of my

playmakers (who along with Jones includes a pair of running backs and twin

brother Tyler),” said Fromm. “There’s no better feeling than seeing your boys

do well.”

 

He’s jus a really mature young man,” says Chastain

of his team captain and quarterback.

 

Daniels has also saved his best play for the

biggest moments this season including multiple 100-yard rushing yard games

during the playoffs. Daniels ran for 187 yards and two touchdowns during the

Eagles’ first round victory on the road at Tucker. He followed that game up

with consecutive 100-yards games against Bradwell Institute in the second round

and most recently at Sequoyah High School last week when he ran for 135 yards.

 

The threat of having Daniels continue to burn

defenses with his feet keeps his passing game, underrated according to Kinsler,

free to make a major impact. “He is not one dimensional,” said Kinsler about

Daniels ability to pass out of the pocket. “Having Jadin is like having an

extra running back but he has worked really, really hard to get where he is

today. Jadin has grown maturity-wise and the things people are seeing tis year

we have been watching a long time.”

 

Daniels’ ability to spread the wealth has been good

for both his game and the team. There are four Eagles with 14 or more

receptions this season led senior Daniel Neal who has 33 for 568 yards and

seven touchdowns.

 

Daniels, who has passed for 1,503 yards and 14

touchdowns this season, believes he has come a long way as a passer too. Asked what

he does better this season compared to last he said, “Throwing routes better,

dropping back the right way, everything. Just being a leader, taking control of

everything. Last year I didn’t know how it was going to feel but now being a

senior, about to go to college, it feels good.”

 

When I told him that he has over 3,000 total yards

and that the passing yards and rushing yards were an even split, he said, “I

really did not know that. I have improved so much from last season I can’t

explain it.”

 

Next step: Final Four

 

On Friday night both Daniels and Fromm, Fromm and

Daniels, depending on which side of town you preside, will take the field with

nothing to lose and everything to gain. This season has been the best of their

careers and the work has been done. All that is left to do is get on the field

and play.

 

“I think we’ve been able to do a ton of different

stuff on offense that we didn’t do last year,” said Fromm of the meeting with

the Rome Wolves.

 

“Everything is different, our team [this year], we

all have the same goal and that’s to go to state and to get where we need to

be,” says Daniels.

 

 

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