“That first practice, I didn’t even know how to take a snap,” Murphy recalled of his early days as a quarterback. “I had to go from being an athlete to being the commander of the offense.”

“Whenever I had a question, I asked my father or my brother. I was always watching (James) and learning from what he was doing to prepare for his readings. This was a huge advantage for me.

Now a senior, Murphy led Reading (8-0) to the No. 1 seed in the Division 3 playoffs by combining his athleticism (91 carries, 687 yards, 10 TDs) with rapid improvement as a passer (47 out of 10). 63 passes, 712 yards, 6 TD, 2 INT), helping the Rockets score 37 points per game. He is also committed to RPI.

“(Jack) made a huge jump from junior year to senior year and I’m excited for him,” Reading coach John Fiore said. “It has been a real pleasure to see such progress from one year to the next. Football is so important to him and he has a very intense focus and selfless attitude.

The Rockets begin their playoff journey at home Friday night (7) against No. 16 Lynn English (6-2).

Carter Carroll got an even later start at quarterback. The Cohasset resident didn’t break out at playing center until his freshman year at BC High, after playing receiver and safety throughout his youth and college football.

Just three games into his sophomore season, he was a varsity starter. And after transforming his lean 5-foot-10 frame into a 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior frame, he entered the season as one of the best arms in the state.

“It’s been a difficult task, but now everything is coming together,” said Carroll, who is committed to attending William & Mary.

“It took a lot of watching film and learning from my mistakes. As a quarterback, you have to be a goldfish. You have to learn from your mistakes, but be ready to move on to the next play. And listening to the coaches. The best thing you can do as a quarterback is be coachable.

Carroll has worked with Mike McCarthy of the M2 Quarterback Academy since the end of his freshman year, and he has shown improvement over the past two seasons, but has really taken off under new Eagles coach Paul Zukauskas.

Zukauskas (’97) played at BC High and Boston College, where he received coaching from current William & Mary head coach Mike London. The former NFL lineman led BC High (6-1) to immediate success after the program went 11-22 over the past three seasons. he credits Carroll with leading the offense.

“(Carroll is) capable of handling more than a typical high school student,” said Zukauskas, who led Lawrence Academy to success the last decade before founding WePlayed Sports, a video social platform.

“We try not to overdo it because he’s not the only one. But he can handle a number of options and make different throws, whether with a shotgun, coming out of the pocket, play action, or traditional stepback. He is capable of doing everything and it is a pleasure to coach in this sense.

The second-seeded Eagles host No. 15 Andover (4-4) in a Division 1 first-round game Friday night. They could get senior captain Brenden Ryan back after a three-game absence, but Carroll and senior receivers Gavin Barth and Conrad Babka will be ready to carry the offense if needed.

“Everyone on our team plays multiple sports and we’ve gotten to know each other really well over the seasons,” Carroll said. “Over these four years, we have worked extremely hard and been together 24/7, which makes everything easier, not only from a leadership perspective, but also from a relationship perspective. »

In Cape Town, Jayden Barber and his receivers have been working on their connection for years. The Dennis-Yarmouth senior has played quarterback since third grade and has spent a lot of time working on his craft outside of football seasons in camps, 7-on-7 leagues and informal throwing sessions.

A third-year starter, Barber led DY to a 6-2 record and 11th place in Division 6, setting up a matchup against Tyler Adamo and Lynnfield’s aerial attack in the round of 16.

Adding to his game each season, the 6-foot, 165-pound dual-threat has become one of the state’s premier signal-callers.

“He always had the ability to know where the ball needed to go,” said fifth-year DY coach Chris Marsh (’05). “Right from the start, he was excellent in our fast-paced game, reading defenses and shooting where it made sense.”

After rushing for just 99 yards on 57 attempts as a sophomore, Barber passed for 541 yards and six touchdowns last year. This season, he’s already totaled 541 rushing yards and nine touchdowns, adding some huge kick returns in a multi-phase role.

Perhaps most impressive is that the senior threw just one interception on 183 attempts, completing 114 passes for 1,661 yards and 17 touchdowns for the Dolphins.

“The game has definitely slowed down,” Barber said. “It’s now easier to read the terrain. I’ve just been able to make better decisions as I’ve gotten older.

Quarterback play is a huge piece of the puzzle for many state title hopefuls entering the tournament. And when the game slows down for more experienced passers, special things can happen in late fall.