Photo by Sarah Finnegan.
Chelsea High School quarterback Matthew Marquet (5) fakes a handoff to Zalon Reynolds (1) during a home game against Gardendale on Sept. 23, 2016.
Chelsea High School senior quarterback Matthew Marquet’s job could be so simple.
Hand the ball to his running back, Zalon Reynolds.
One has to take the game in from multiple vantage points to see the story of Reynolds’ dynamic ability on the football field. Stand in the end zone behind a kickoff return, and one can see Reynolds sprint to the sideline and stop on a dime, as multiple defenders fly past and give him room for extra yardage.
Stand in front of a play, and one can see Reynolds take a handoff and seemingly freeze time as he surveys the field. Before most are able to process what happened, Reynolds already has shot through the hole with a burst of speed that could rival a sports car.
“It’s nice to have a guy of his caliber on our team,” Marquet said. “It’s really nice.”
However, if he were the Hornets’ only weapon, defenses would have a better chance of slowing down a Chelsea offense that puts up points by the truckload.
Reynolds is not the only ball carrier who does damage. Marquet inflicts a great deal himself. It is not uncommon for Marquet and Reynolds to both crack the century mark on the ground in the same game.
Marquet and Reynolds have played together in the same backfield since both were in sixth grade, allowing several years of experience to culminate in an explosive offense in their final high school seasons.
Marquet has performed at such a high level and earned the trust of his coaches that he is afforded a freedom rare among high school quarterbacks. Option plays have become a staple of the offense, and Marquet is the one entrusted with making the correct read.
Opposing defenses know they have to stop the running game when playing Chelsea, but if they hone in on Reynolds, the option comes into play and leaves would-be tacklers grasping at air.
“The beginning of the game is when it’s most effective, because those outside linebackers don’t really see the pull coming,” Marquet said. “Because Zalon is such a good player, they’re worried about stopping him. Whenever I pull it out of Zalon’s stomach, I’ve just got a bunch of open grass.”
The Hornet offense features mainly two variations of the option. One of those mirrors the zone read play that has become commonplace in college football with athletic quarterbacks. Marquet has the choice to either hand the ball to Reynolds himself or fake the handoff and keep it himself.
The other option play is a run-pass option play. Marquet can either hand the ball to Reynolds or pull it and throw a pass. Whatever the scenario, defenses are kept on their heels all night.
“I’m glad he’s on my team, as I say all the time,” said Chelsea head coach Chris Elmore. “I’d much rather play with him than against him.”
Marquet has every intention of making his final season a success. After a strong regular season, the Hornets will take to the postseason, where they will look to avoid the shellshock they experienced last year. In its first playoff appearance in four seasons as a Class 6A program, Chelsea traveled to Blount and lost 41-28.
“This year, we’re going to go and take care of business because we know we’ve been there, and we’ve been in that situation,” Marquet said. “I think we’re a lot more mature this year, and we’ve got a lot of seniors, so I think we’ll be good.”
As for Marquet’s future, he will play basketball at Chelsea in the winter, but has no immediate plans to do anything other than be an “average Joe” at the University of Alabama, unless a collegiate football offer gives him something to consider.
