MACON — If Tyrone Shorter didn’t know better, he would have thought he had gone back in time on two occasions all in one night.
In 2008, a player named Conner wore jersey No. 1 and led the Noxubee County High School football team to a state title.
Last year, a player named Bradley wore No. 94 and played an integral role in leading the Tigers to their second state championship.
Shorter entered his team’s game Friday against Columbus knowing full well Termarcus Conner and Dylan Bradley had exhausted their high school eligibility. But Shorter couldn’t help watch the game against the Falcons and see younger versions of both players.
It’s a credit to Timorrius Conner and Jeffery Simmons that their play Friday evoked those memories.
Their maturation from week one to week two also gave Shorter reason to believe the 2013 Tigers could find themselves on the same path as the 2008 and the 2012 teams.
Conner threw two touchdown passes, including one to Simmons, while Simmons wreaked havoc on defense and had a fumble return for another score to lead Noxubee County to a 21-10 victory against Columbus. The victory helped the Tigers even their record following a 17-0 loss to Starkville in the season opener for both teams.
For their accomplishments, Conner and Simmons are The Dispatch’s co-Prep Players of the Week.
Conner, a sophomore, is the cousin of former Noxubee County and Mississippi State University standout Omarr Conner and the brother of former Noxubee County and East Mississippi Community College standout Termarcus Conner. Simmons, who also is a sophomore, is the brother of Bradley, the former Tigers’ standout and current University of Southern Mississippi defensive lineman.
The sense of deja vu one might get from watching Conner and Simmons is natural because both players wear the numbers their relatives wore. Both players are paying respect to their kin and the program’s tradition while making a name for themselves in the well-known numbers.
Shorter said Simmons came to him in the spring and told him he wanted to change his number to No. 94. He cautioned the sophomore he was going to have big shoes to fill, but Simmons allayed his concerns.
“He said, ‘I am going to be better than my brother,’ ” Shorter said. “When he said that, like a chill went through my body. If you are going to be better than him, ‘Oh man.’ ”
Simmons said his goal is to let everyone know that there is another No. 94 in Noxubee County. He understands his brother left a legacy for persevering through injuries and being a player who could control a game on defense. By the time he is a senior, Simmons, who is 6-foot-3, 235 pounds, said he wants to be the same kind of player. He believes his effort against Columbus has put him back on track.
“The first game, I played good but I didn’t play good because I think I had only two tackles,” Simmons said. “I came to practice the Monday after the Starkville game and decided to go harder. Coach Shorter came up to me one day at practice and told me he thought I wasn’t ready. I told him, ‘I am going to show you I am ready.’
“I think I did pretty good against Columbus. I feel I grew up a lot. Starting off my sophomore year, coach Shorter got on me and told me I play too much. The Starkville game I didn’t do too well, but I stepped up my maturity level by paying attention at practice, being on time, and going hard in the game.”
Conner also had adjustments to make from week one to week two. Conner admitted he felt nervous in his first varsity start. His uneasiness showed as he was 5 of 16 for 80 yards against Starkville. He felt he rushed things and didn’t give himself enough time to see plays develop. He said he did a better job against Columbus relaxing and taking his time. As a result, he was 12 of 21 for 180 yards. He threw two interceptions, but Shorter and Conner felt he made positive steps in his second varsity start. He said he decided in the spring Conner was going to be the team’s starting quarterback. Knowing the family’s pedigree, Shorter talked to Conner and told him not to listen to all of the “street talk” and to concentrate on learning how to play the position and to improving every week.
“I know deep inside he is trying to live up to their expectation, but I just told him to take what teams give him, to listen to the coaches,” Shorter said. “We are not asking him to do a lot. We are asking him to manage the game. But he has a strong arm and he can really throw the football.”
Noxubee County used a short-passing game early against Columbus to help Conner, who is 5-8 1/2, 150, gain traction. The throws helped him build a rhythm that enabled him to lead two drives of 90-plus yards. Ball control like that will be imperative this week when Noxubee County takes on the high-powered offense of rival Louisville, which has moved from Class 4A to Class 3A this season.
Shorter said he has stressed to Conner that he has to follow a similar approach to success this week and not try to do too much too quickly.
“It was like he was a different quarterback the second ballgame,” Shorter said. “We talked to him about staying in the pocket a little longer and letting the play develop. The first week, he was getting out of there too quick. This week, he settled down and really delivered some beautiful passes.”
Conner takes pride in wearing the No. 1. He started playing quarterback in seventh grade and played the position last year for the freshman and junior varsity teams. He said the pace of the game is so much quicker and that he has had to adjust, even though he had confidence he would get a chance to be the team’s starter this season. Judging from the success Omarr and Termarcus had at the position, Timorrius believed he could help the team accomplish big things.
“I knew I had to carry my team back to the state championship,” Conner said. “That is what my brother did in his two years, and that is what DeAngelo Ballard did last year.
“I am getting to know what the pocket pressure is. Later on in the season I will be in there.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino @ctsportseditor.
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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