FOOTBALL: A season of excellence culminates in All-State honor for Willis

Feb. 13—In the illustrious realm of Oklahoma high school football, Verdigris senior Tyler Willis stood out as a shining star during the 2023 season.

His exceptional performance on the field did not go unnoticed, for he recently received the esteemed honor of being named to the Oklahoma Coaches Association All-State football team. Ranking sixth in the state in receiving yards and holding the top spot for that category in Class 3A, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound senior proved his mettle with 1,210 yards and 13 touchdowns on 90 receptions and an average of 110 yards per game while also rushing for 339 yards and four touchdowns on 65 carries, averaging 5.2 yards per carry.

Upon learning of his selection, Willis expressed his excitement despite his immediate unfamiliarity of the honor and its significance.

"I wasn't too familiar with All-State — I heard about it from my brother (Toby) back when he played — but after my coaches told me it is a great honor, I was pretty excited," Willis said. "My family is pretty stoked."

Willis' journey to becoming an All-State athlete began with a realization of his upcoming role and importance before the season even commenced.

Understanding the void left by departing seniors who helped the Cardinals to three semifinal appearances, he recognized the need to step up for the benefit of the team. His anticipation and hard work translated into a special season for both him and the team.

"We had been working hard with that group before us, and a lot of those seniors left, so I knew I needed to step up to help our team win some games," Willis said.

The season wasn't just special for Willis — it was transformative.

The departure of key seniors created a leadership vacuum, one that Willis willingly filled. His duty extended beyond being an exceptional receiver, for he became a leader who guided the team to success.

It was a role he undoubtedly relished, and it showed on and off the field.

"Honestly, it was kind of fun," Willis said. "It was nice to be looked to to be the leader out there. It was a great experience that the coaches put their faith in me to make those bigtime plays and get the ball a lot."

Within the tapestry of standout moments, one game shone the brightest for Willis.

Reflecting on his favorite performance, he recalled the game against Jay on Oct. 20. Willis scored three touchdowns in the first half alone before finishing with 108 yards on six receptions, showcasing his catching and scoring prowess.

"Everyone was clicking, and the quarterbacks were throwing it really good and everything," Willis said.

Adjusting to quarterback transitions posed an initial challenge, but Willis embraced the shift with resilience.

The team navigated the adjustments with dedication and practice, leading to a seamless transition as the season progressed. As a result, both sophomore Austin Boren and freshman Ethan Hushbeck gained significant experience behind center, combining for 2,368 yards passing and 21 touchdowns in 2023.

"It was definitely pretty hard at the beginning, trying to work on consistency," Willis said. "But as they went on through practices of competing for the spot and everything, they both got really good at it. Whoever was throwing to me, both of them were good, so it didn't really matter after time went on."

As for his favorite way of scoring, Willis affirmed his love for catching the ball.

Although he grew up as a running back, he spoke passionately about route running and the aspect of outworking the defensive backs to get the ball in his hands.

"I love route running — it's probably my favorite thing," Willis said. "Being able to run, get open, catch the ball and get separation from the defender and go score."

Although the season didn't end with a championship or even a winning record, Willis looks back with pride.

Considering the team's circumstances — rebuilding after losing many seniors — he views the season as a success. Verdigris finished 5-6 in 2023, reaching the Class 3A playoffs for a sixth-consecutive season.

"Obviously, you wish you would make it farther and everything, but coming into this season after losing all those seniors and then having to kind of almost start new with a couple of returners, I think it went pretty well," Willis said. "Everyone developed as a player, and I think myself and the other seniors really got to shine and got to show what we can do and got them (the underclassmen) ready for the upcoming years and everything.

"I think it was overall a good experience and good season."

As for his future, Willis is keeping his options open.

Several colleges have shown interest — including Friends University in Wichita, Kan.; Hendrix College in Conway, Ark.; and Bethel College in North Newton, Kan. — and he's considering his choices carefully.

It is not a question of if he will play, but of where he will ultimately sign.

"You always hope to go play at the next level, so we'll see," Willis said. "I've had a couple of offers and a couple of new coaches coming and talking to me, so we'll see what happens. Once everything starts dying down, like recruitment, then I'll make a decision on what to do."

Of course, Willis' stellar season didn't just involve on-field exploits.

A silent competition emerged between Willis and Claremore's Gage Deckard. Both players tracked each other's stats, adding an extra layer of motivation for Willis.

Deckard — who was also selected to the All-State team as a receiver — and Willis were atop the state rankings at No. 1 and No. 2 for most of the season, with the former eventually pulling away for good in the playoffs thanks in part to the Zebras advancing to the Class 5A semifinals and playing two more games than the Cardinals.

Deckard finished the season as the state's leading receiver in yards and touchdowns, racking up 1,370 yards and 20 touchdowns on 68 catches.

Despite the friendly rivalry, their mutual respect fueled a drive to continually improve.

"It really made me want to compete, that's for sure," Willis said. "Each night I'd go out and do the best I could. I'd seen him (Deckard) eating out, so we were both talking (about our stats), but it was friendly and everything. It definitely drove me harder to get better at it."

That isn't Willis' only connection to Claremore football, though.

Looking ahead to the All-State game on July 26, Willis eagerly anticipates playing one last time with Zebras quarterback Braxton Etheridge.

The camaraderie shared between the two extends beyond a crosstown rivalry, with Etheridge having been Willis' quarterback throughout his youth career and middle school. Etheridge seemingly ended their on-field partnership when he transferred from Verdigris to Claremore after his freshman year, but fate had other plans for the duo.

It took standout seasons from both young men to achieve the ultimate reunion on the gridiron, and they won't take the opportunity for granted.

"I can't wait," Willis said. "... I'm definitely looking forward to playing one last game with him. We're gonna definitely try to work together before the All-State game, get some reps in and everything to keep each other in shape and everything like that."