Greenville High quarterback Banks Bouton tapped on his teammates' helmets like he was playing drums Friday morning as he waited for his turn to take snaps with the offense.
He stayed in good rhythm, firing passes that were snared as the Red Raiders opened practice for the 2024 high school football season. It’s their first under coach Jaybo Shaw and Bouton's first as the starter as Greenville moves up one SCHSL classification to join Region 1-AAAAA.
“I’m excited,” said Shaw, who replaced Greg Porter , now at Laurens. “You know, we’re young in some spots. But from where we were when we ended spring practice to where we are now, I’m very pleased with the trajectory.”
Bouton (6-foot-2, 180 pounds) takes over after a sophomore season in which he played in six games, completing 22 of 33 passes for 362 yards with four touchdowns. He also had 82 yards and a touchdown on six carries.
“He continues to get better and better,” Shaw said. “I think the biggest thing with Banks and what he’s got going for him is that he can hurt you with his legs. There is a mobility aspect for him. It’s going to play a big part in his junior season as he gets familiar with our offense. We can rely on his legs a little bit.”
Shaw brings with him a faster-paced offense from five years coaching in Georgia, two at Class AAAA Wayne County and three at Class AA Rabon County, where his teams averaged 45.8 points per game.
Bouton is in charge of keeping that kind of beat.
“I think the biggest thing that I’ve seen from him since spring is the familiarity with the offense, the no-huddle signals and communicating protections,” Shaw said. “We’re putting a lot on his plate. His biggest growth since spring is just being more comfortable with the offense and being able to lead us on that side of the ball.”
Bouton inherited the full-time job a year earlier than expected, rising to the top of the depth chart when senior Bryson Drummond transferred to new school Mountain View Prep in Spartanburg. Drummond last season passed for 1,863 yards with 17 touchdowns.
Greenville also lost a leader in the defensive backfield. Senior cornerback Ramani Bruton, who had 11 interceptions in the past two years, moved across town to J.L. Mann.
“I wish those guys nothing but the best,” Shaw said. “I appreciate everything they did for the program while they were here and the success they had. It’s unfortunate that we don’t have them, but I think it gives great opportunity to some of these guys who have been waiting for snaps.”
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Preseason jamborees approved by the SCHSL will be held Aug. 15 at Berea, and Aug. 16 at Easley and Boiling Springs. Week Zero to kick off the regular season is Aug. 23.
Todd Shanesy is an award-winning senior writer who now covers high school athletics for the Greenville News, Spartanburg Herald-Journal and Anderson Independent Mail in the USA TODAY Network. Contact him by email at todd.shanesy@shj.com . Follow him on X, formerly called Twitter, at @ToddShanesySHJ .
This article originally appeared on Herald-Journal: Greenville High football counting on new quarterback to keep up-tempo beat in 2024
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