WS Chronicle

The East Forsyth Eagles have been having a phenomenal season thus far, quietly enough.  Quarterback Ty Lyles has been one of the biggest reasons for the Eagles fast start at 8-0.

As a sophomore, Lyles is one of the youngest starters on the Eagles varsity squad.  According to coaches, Lyles’ performance thus far this season is not a surprise, based on the hard work he has put in over the last year.

“He did pretty good as the JV quarterback and I think the biggest thing that made the transition so easy is that our offensive coordinator, Ron Horton, was running our JV and he and Ty had already developed a great relationship,” said Todd Willert, varsity head coach. 

“It was great that he didn’t have to go from one coach to another coach and from one offense to another offense,” he continued.  “I think he has some great weapons around him, which has obviously helped him, and having a senior offensive line has helped by making him more comfortable in the pocket.”

Horton said Lyles has made tremendous progress mentally over the last year.  He says Lyles puts in a lot of work off the field by watching game film, working on his mechanics, and mastering the playbook.

“Slowly but surely, he is starting to understand how we want to attack teams on offense and the game is starting to slow down for him,” Horton said.  “We still have a bit of work to do, but he is processing things better now.  He is young, but the kid is definitely not afraid of the moment.”

Lyles has thrown for 1,308 yards, with 16 touchdowns to only 4 interceptions for the year.  He is averaging a staggering 20.1 yards per completion on the season as well. 

Lyles says even though he is young, playing the quarterback position requires him to bring a certain level of energy and leadership to the team.  He says one of his main goals is to get his team focused and ready before every game so they can continue this winning streak.  He says this team has the chance to bring home a state championship.

“Last year I learned a lot because I did not really know anything, so this year I started watching film, learning from the other varsity players and really diving into the playbook,” said Lyles. 

For Lyles, the relationship with Horton is more than just studying film and learning plays.  Lyles says Horton gives him valuable life lessons that have nothing to do with football that will make him a better person.

“I saw something in Ty when he first got here everybody sees the athletic ability, but I saw a very humble kid and a very confident kid also,” Horton said.  “I played quarterback in high school, so seeing his talent made me feel like he could do a lot with that talent”

“I just try to help him with the areas that I was not so proficient with early on when I was in high school.  Being mentally prepared can really give you an advantage, so I just think about what I didn’t know as a sophomore in high school and try to give him that knowledge.”

Horton said “it was funny” that Willert and Lyles give him as much credit as they do.  He says the real credit should go to Lyles for the hard work he has put in, along with the maturity he has shown.

“The moment is never too big for him and he has taken strides as a leader, which is a credit to him,” Horton went on to say.  “I just try to put him in situations to be successful, but he has to execute and make those plays, so credit to him for that.”

Willert says the coaching staff was surprised, in a way, by the play of Lyles on the field.  He says, on the other hand, they expected solid play because of the talent he possesses.

“We saw that there was something special in him,” said Willert.  “He has done very well and I think Ty has done very well in absorbing our offense and learning what it takes to be a quarterback here at East Forsyth.”

The Eagles coaching staff say Lyles has a very strong arm and is a dual threat quarterback who can run.  They say one of his biggest assets is he uses his legs to find open receivers downfield, rather than running the ball himself.

Willert and Horton think if Lyles can grow a couple more inches in height, he can definitely attract Division I offers down the line.  Lyles says he would love to attend Louisville University because Lamar Jackson is one of the players he looks up to.  He says he would love to study science once he makes it to college.

“The sky is the limit for this kid and he is an even better kid off the field than he is a player on it,” said Horton.