Jenks QB is sharp on field, in video game

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By Ryan Aber
Staff Writer

For the next two weeks, The Oklahoman's Ryan Aber will write about the players and coaches who make up high school football around the state.

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MUSTANG — After the Saturday films sessions end at Jenks, the seniors don't do much to get their minds off football. They don't spread out and go their separate ways.

Instead, every Saturday, a group of 12-15 Jenks football seniors gather at a different house to play the latest NCAA Football video game.

"It's kind of become a tradition,” Trojans senior quarterback Mark Ginther said. "We just switch houses every week and get together and have a lot of fun.”

Senior defensive tackle Tony Gillespie, one of the most highly recruited players in the state, says there is no question who the best NCAA player on the team is.

"I'm really good,” Gillespie said. "But Mark's the best. He's sitting over there calling audibles and doing all of that stuff.”

Ginther, though, hasn't created himself into the game. Instead, he prefers to play with Hawaii and Colt Brennan, one

of the top quarterbacks in the country.

"It's just like the film sessions we do before we play,” Ginther said. "Reading defenses is the same.”

For Jenks, this season has been a return to the routine.

Last season might have ended with a usual outcome for the Trojans — a Class 6A state title — but it began in tumult, as Jenks' Garrett Bennett died in a car accident not long before the season began.

"It's a lot more normal around here this year,” Ginther said. "With everything going on last season and with me as a senior now, I knew what to expect this time around.”

Jenks coach Allan Trimble has high praise for the way Ginther carries himself. Hearing quarterbacks referred to as "coaches on the field” is pretty standard for coaches. Trimble, though, goes even further.

"He's smarter than me out there,” Trimble said. "It's amazing how smart he is and how much he knows.”

Ginther turned in a solid performance in Friday's scrimmage at Mustang, repeatedly spotting mismatches and exploiting them.

"The coaches demand perfection here,” Ginther said. "They don't let you slack at all. It's amazing how prepared the coaching staff here is. We follow their lead.”

Once the season is over, Ginther will likely be done with football, choosing instead to pursue a career in baseball.

"I'm for sure going to play baseball somewhere,” Ginther said. "I wouldn't give that up. I might go somewhere where I can play both, but I grew up around baseball, and that's my first love.”

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