If ESPNU 150 watch list QB, Bubba Starling, was a secret before the season started, the secret is out. Starling has quickly become one of the top dual threat quarterback prospect in the country, and everyone is noticing. At 6’5″, 190 pounds, Starling looks every bit the part of a pocket passer and he can throw like one too. Starling has the arm that every young quarterback hopes to have one day, he can throw it on a rope, with touch or flick it 60 yards down field. Adding to his passing ability is his ability to run the football. Using his long strides to eat up huge chunks of yards, Starling can not only navigate his way through a busy line of scrimmage, he can also run through, around or right by defenders.
With the secret out about Starling, college football programs around the country have noticed.
One problem though, Starling is also a top baseball prospect with his 93 mph fastball.
In leading his Gardner-Edgerton team to a win against Ottawa last Friday night, Starling and his teammates finished the regular season undefeated. Now Gardner looks forward to entering the state playoffs as the top seed, and with Starling leading the way, they just might be the team to finally beat Hutchinson High School, who has dominated the state in both class 5A and 6A in recent years.
According to Starling’s coach, Marvin Diener, the lanky quarterback could have looked better on Friday night, but with his abilities, the potential is tremendous.
“I’m disappointed he didn’t show off more,” Diener said about Starling’s passing after the Ottawa game. “He had a little too much touch on it tonight. He can be on both knees and throw it 55 yards,” added Diener about Starling’s arm strength.
One reason for Starling having a little ‘too much touch on it’ is because he is still getting back to 100% after injuring his left shoulder earlier this season, causing him to miss a few games.
Starling is aware that although he has the ability to throw the ball anywhere he wants to because of his arm strength, he still has to work on other mechanics to improve his passing even more.
“I’m working on my throwing,” said Starling. “I wasn’t setting my feet, but I’ll work on it and be ready for the playoffs,” added Starling.
It’s that desire to improve that makes a player like Starling, who has so much talent and potential, so impressive. Starling feels like his will to win is stronger than his opponents’. Heading into the playoffs, Starling is ready to lead his team to the title game.
“I’m ready for the playoffs,” said Starling. “Just taking one game at a time, but we are ready,” added Starling.
Where his recruitment is concerned, Starling is still somewhat new to the process. As a top baseball prospect, it’s been long thought that baseball would ultimatley be where Starling would shine the most, but as the season wears on, it appears that football is putting up a fight.
“I’ve talked to my parents about it, and between football and baseball, I’m not sure yet,” said Starling. “It would be cool to play both, but that’s tough to do. I love football and if I could play football in college I would, but then there’s baseball too,” added Starling.
With football becoming more of an option for Starling, colleges have started the recruiting process with him. Starling is hearing from Michigan, Alabama, Kansas, Missouri, Kansas State and Oklahoma State, amongst others. Having made trips to nearby Lawrence to see the Jayhawks, Starling is impressed by KU, but he is also impressed by support that programs like Michigan and Alabama receive.
“They have nice facilities and the coaches are great,” Starling said of Kansas. “Playing in front of 100,000 fans, now that would be crazy, but really special,” added Starling about schools like Michigan and Alabama recruiting him.
