There isn’t much more Chattahoochee quarterback Timmy Byerly could have done this season to help his recruiting. Byerly led his team to a 15-0 record and a state championship while running for over 1500 yards with 21 touchdowns and passing for nearly 2700 yards and 30 scores. Byerly also converted nearly every third and short that needed picking up throughout the playoffs in a manner that reminded many, including his coach of Tim Tebow. “Tim Tebow is some one I look up to. My coach says I remind him of (Tebow) by the way I carry myself.”
Unlike Tebow however, Byerly isn’t 6’4, 245 with offers from every SEC and ACC school in his possession. Byerly stands just 6’1, 215 and has offers from just the Air Force Academy and Furman so far. Byerly joined Score Atlanta’s The Official Visit Monday night and talked about his recruitment with Scott Janovitz and Fletcher Proctor. When asked if size is the reason for his having not received more offers, Byerly surmises that to be accurate. “It’s just me not being big enough and a lot of schools have (recruits) commit early.” Byerly said he that went to multiple camps this past summer and felt he was on the verge of getting at least one offer. “I was No. 2 on a lot of lists and some schools may take a second quarterback.”
One of those schools could in fact be Wake Forest. “They have been in touch,” Byerly said of the Demon Deacons. Georgetown has also shown some interest, but he is also still waiting by his phone for two other schools that showed early interest. “I really hope Georgia Tech would come back with an offer,” Byerly said of the hometown Yellow Jackets. Mississippi State and Dan Mullen, who recruited Tim Tebow for Florida, also may be interested, said the signal-caller that has been called Tebow-lite by Chattahoochee head coach Terry Crowder.
If those schools showing interest were to come through with an offer, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech would immediately move to the top, though location and distance isn’t much of a factor for Byerly. Former Chattahoochee quarterback Brendan Cross is currently at Wake and that could factor into Byerly’s decision. “I learned most of being a quarterback by playing behind Cross.”
Byerly currently holds offers from the Air Force Academy and Furman. The latter could hold an edge as Byerly’s father attended Furman, and Byerly said that his father told him he’d love to see him in the purple and white. Byerly’s mother meanwhile likes the Air Force Academy because then she would have two sons at two different Academies, as Byerly’s brother attends West Point. Byerly noted in the interview that he respects the commitment that going to an Academy would require and that hasn’t affected his decision.
Byerly’s ability to run the ball as well as throw it has opened up options for the slightly undersized signal-caller. “I really enjoy running the ball and passing. There is no right or wrong offense for me.” Based on stats alone and just watching Byerly play should be enough for plenty of offers to come pouring in, but in the game of college recruiting, sadly size comes into play more often than not. “You don’t have to be a 6’6 pocket passer (to be successful),” says Byerly. “You just have to be a tough quarterback.” Byerly is well-rounded enough that he should get a shot somewhere and he will certainly be a difference-maker wherever that is. “Whether I play of not, I just want to be a part of the team.” If he keeps tossing up a 30:2 touchdown to interception ratio with 21 rushing scores at the next level, he’ll certainly make those that didn’t offer him regret it.
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