By I.C. Murrell | PANews.com
Published 6:33 pm Thursday, December 27, 2018
Brandon Faircloth has built an All-American resume in 10 seasons as Port Neches-Groves’ head football coach.
He’s coached Team USA against Canada in multiple International Bowl games — three of them, by his estimation — in addition to earning local All-Star assignments. The most prolific quarterback in PNG history — whom Faircloth coached — is an Under Armour All-American.
Faircloth has learned a little about being around the best high school players in America.
| Under Armour All-America Game 5 p.m. Jan. 3, Camping World Stadium, Orlando, Fla., ESPN2 |
“Anytime you get to be around that caliber of players, you can become a better coach, seeing how they work in practice. There will be other coaches there. They’re excited to learn from the best.”
Faircloth will be one of the Under Armour All-America coaches when the game kicks off next Thursday at Orlando, Florida’s Camping World Stadium, aka the home of the Citrus Bowl and the unbeaten Central Florida Knights.
The committee behind the UA All-America game invited Faircloth about two months ago to serve as quarterbacks coach for Team Flash, which will line up against Team Ballaholics. Players have not yet been drafted for either team, but if fate has its way, Faircloth will coach Johnson one more time before the early PNG graduate heads to the University of Texas.
“My family is going as well,” Faircloth said. “It’s our time to hang out. One last hurrah. I’m excited about it. [Johnson has] done so much to earn a spot on the team.”
So much.
Johnson has had a hand in 169 touchdowns in three years as the Indians’ starting quarterback, leading the team to a share of a district championship and the regional semifinals, or third round, in 5A Division II each season. (PNG has won a district share for four straight years.)
Johnson’s career statistics are the stuff of legends — 12,462 yards of offense, including three straight years of 1,600-plus yards rushing (127.5 per game), career highs 4,527 total yards and 63 touchdowns as a junior (through 12 games), coming within 100 yards of 4,000 total in both his sophomore and senior seasons, and three straight MVP awards each in districts 22-5A and 12-5A Division II and The News’ Super Team.
“Coach Faircloth’s offense, I’m utilized a lot of ways,” Johnson said in a Dec. 24 article. “He lets me use my talents as much as I can. Coach Faircloth, credit to him and the plays he calls. The guys I played with over the past few years, they provided me an opportunity to showcase my talents.”
That Johnson stuck with his verbal commitment to Texas didn’t surprise Faircloth, although the QB continued to draw offers and was ranked the ninth-best dual threat at that position by Rivals.com.
“With Roschon, his words mean something,” Faircloth said. “He didn’t want to change. I was really proud of him for making an informed decision.”
Now, the Faircloth-Johnson era will officially close in the city of the happiest place on earth — a place Faircloth has taken his family before.
Disney World, meet the Faircloths (again) and the All-Americans.
“Having the family around makes it so much better,” the coach said.
