Kirby Freeman was nowhere on the national map only a few months ago. Today, after a meteoric rise largely based on one spectacular weekend, hes no longer a secret hidden deep in Central Texas. We profile the Lone Star State QB in our cover story from the latest issue of Student Sports Magazine. For info on how to subscribe, call 800-660-1334 x4431.
The morning workout at the EA Sports Elite 11 camp, held in late July in Southern California, was over, but a buzz was going through the crowd as former All-Pro quarterback Troy Aikman stepped onto the field after taping a segment for Fox Sports.
He began addressing the dozen high schoolers chosen for the event: "For all of you here that made it, congratulations," Aikman began. "You obviously all have great talent or you wouldn't have made it this far...
For Kirby Freeman, the 6-foot-2, 190 pound senior from Brownwood, Texas, it must have seemed like a dream. Barely three months before, he was considered, at best, the fifth best quarterback in the state, let along the nation, and now he was posed next to his childhood idol for photos.
I grew up as a kid watching the old school Cowboys and if there were five guys in the whole world Id like to meet, Troy Aikman would be one of them, Freeman marveled. And here today he was walking around the camp giving tips, introducing himself... it was a great feeling knowing he was in the same shoes we were in.
Those same shoes have done a lot of traveling for Freeman since last year, when he spearheaded the Lions offense by passing for 1,315 yards and nine TDs, and, perhaps more impressively, rushing for 1,121 yards and 16 scores. No wonder, then, that Nebraska, traditionally a team which has its signal-caller run more than pass, was one of the first universities to offer a scholarship.
The relative calm of Freemans world changed during the May 3-4 weekend in College Station, Texas. The lean passer was one of nearly 350 participants from all over the Southwest who attended the Nike Football Training Camp and with hundreds of college coaches in attendance, Freeman ran a 4.62 in the 40 and a blistering 3.94 in the 20-yard-shuttle.
His throws were strong, crisp and accurate and were so impressive that his three offers (the Huskers along with Oklahoma State and Purdue) swelled to 25 within two weeks after that breakout camp.
However, it was in the passing drills the next day at the Elite 11 tryout that he proved to everyone he could be on the national level with anyone. With several other notable Texas throwers on the field, including Rhett Bomar, Bobby Reid and Stephen McGee, the Brownwood athlete showed he would be the fourth man in his family, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, father and brother, to play college football (all the others played at Abilene Christian).
Hes obviously very athletic, explains Greg Biggins, the Director of Recruiting for Student Sports, but the first thing you see is his arm. The ball explodes out of his hand, it looks like itll be too low, but is right on a line and hits the receiver in the chest.
His father, Steve, who is also the Brownwood A.D. and head football coach, says the breakout performance wasnt an unexpected fluke.
We had the Nike Camp and Elite 11 camp pegged on our calendar, knowing Kirby would go head-to-head with the best, and prepared for it.
In early July, about two weeks before the start of the Elite 11, Freeman attended the Univ. of Miami camp. Though the Canes were hot after Pennsylvania star QB Chad Henne, they soon offered the Texas prospect and two days after the camp he ended the recruiting race by telling Miami he was theirs.
I think the thing Im most proudest about Kirby, states his father, is a lot of quarterbacks were scared of the Miami deal, where theres a great QB coming in every year. The risks are greater, but the rewards are greater, too, and Kirby believes that and is willing and has the desire to step up to the plate and compete.
In a darkened room at the EA Sports Elite 11 camp, Freeman sat in front of a backdrop under an intense TV spotlight as Mark Huska, a producer doing a piece for an ESPN documentary on the camp to air Sept. 6, lobbed questions to the high schooler both serious and light:
Who has the best facial hair? John David Booty, he started shaving at five years old. Who would most likely be in a boy band? Rhett Bomar. He and Justin Timberlake are twins.
Hang around Freeman and it doesnt take long to see why hes started at quarterback since his freshman year, when he alternated with a Brownwood senior. Theres a mischievous look in the seniors eyes combined with a spark of humor and a gleam of self-confidence.
Coach Freeman says its always been that way. I dont remember when Kirbys ever had a bashful moment, he laughs. Hes very forward and confident. Hes had the luxury of having an older brother, Colby, who played quarterback and both as young kids hung around the fieldhouse and helped entertain each other. I remember when Kirby was in the fourth grade, thered be all these big varsity guys lined up to do drills and thered be this little guy, Kirby, right in there with the middle of them. We just let him.
However, its not just with family or on the football field that Freeman takes charge; a reporter asks for the Texans phone number for follow-up calls and Freeman takes his cell phone and programs it in. Biggins was asked by ESPN to find a gregarious player at the Elite 11 to videotape and he instantly thought of Freeman.
Kirby was the most outgoing of the group and fun to be around. Hes just a phenomenal leader.
He was also instrumental in one of the biggest recruiting stories of the year. While at the Irvine Spectrum, a large mall in Southern California, Freeman was carrying around the video camera and, while in a sporting goods store with a group of four other Elite 11 quarterbacks, said, Hey, go get the hat of the school youre going to go to.
Rhett Bomar and Drew Weatherford grabbed three hats each and while in the dressing room decided, Lets make this official, lets make it happen now. With Freeman rolling the tape, Bomar came out of his dressing room wearing an Oklahoma cap and Rutherford a Florida State hat.
Think Texas and traditionally its running backs that come to mind before quarterbacks. Yet at the EA Sports Elite 11, posed for shots with Troy Aikman, was a trio from the Lone Star StateFreeman, Reid and Bomarwho will follow in the footsteps of 25 QBs who went D-I last year from Texas. That was second only to Californias 27 signees.
If blame has to be assigned for Kirby Freemans late run to the national QB spotlight, his father will gladly take it. Steve Freeman has used the running game to great success and its helped put Brownwood back on the football map in the state most passionate about the sport.
Last season, for example, running back Freddie Stoglin, a TCU signee, used his 4.37 speed to rush for 2,200 yards in leading the Lions to a 9-5 record. Would Coach Freeman go away from what works, just to get his son some padded stats? Not hardly. At Brownwood, which has a state-leading seven Texas championships, its all about the wins.
Think Brownwood and one name comes to mind: Gordon Wood, the legendary coach who led the Lions to four of the schools state titles and is the all-time winningest coach in Lone Star State high school football history with 396 victories (third best nationally).
Wood, though 89 years old, is still active attending coaching clinics and meets with Steve Freeman at least once a week for lunch to talk pigskin.
Hell go wherever Im willing to drive, says his successor.
Coach Wood retired 20 years ago, continues Kirby, but every time I see him he still wants to talk football.
When Steve Freeman took over at Brownwood nearly a decade ago, he had Colby behind center and the Lions led the state in rushing. That earlier success has made it harder to transition to a passing game.
Part of me is old school, the coach says with a slow Texas drawl, If we can move it on the ground, plug on. Recently, weve started spreading the field more; however, its to open up the running game.
Brownwood, Texas, you could say, is at the heart of Texas high school football; it is only 17 miles from the geographical center of the state and is on the edge of Texas hill country. The town of 22,000 only has one high school and the sign entering the city says, Home of the Brownwood Lions.
The central Texas town loves its team, but has to sacrifice to see them: away games can range from 50 miles, against rival Stephenville, to as far away as a four and a half hour bus ride to face another storied program, Odessa Permian. The two legendary programs started meeting in 2000 and Brownwood holds the edge, 2-1.
Speaking like a true Texan, the younger freeman is excited about his final year of high school and has set some mighty big goals for himself for this campaign and beyond.
I would like to be the first player in history to win a high school state championship, a mythical national championship in college and a Super Bowl. I dont know if its been done already, but thats my dream.
Itll be a challenge from Game 1, a double-header August 30, that will pit Brownwood versus Fort Worth Dunbar and Odessa Permian against Copperas Cove. Perhaps its a good omen for the Freemans that the games will be in Texas Stadium, the homefield for, yes, those Troy Aikman-led Dallas squads who won more than their share of games.
Perhaps someday well look back and see the meeting of the two QBs on the Elite 11 field had some significance: the day a former Cowboy star passed the baton to the next great cowboy quarterback.