When Blake Mouser looked at Tolar’s head coaching opening after its 2023 state championship appearance, he knew the Rattlers had a quality senior class returning.
But the then-Vandegrift offensive coordinator also recognized a couple of freshmen who had played in the 2A Division I title game. Kelvin Murray made a 13-yard catch against Timpson, while Cayden Abrego recorded two tackles.
And Mouser’s investigation didn’t end there. He also stumbled across a couple Tolar JV games on Hudl and noticed a freshman named Briton Rice who stayed calm and collected while throwing the football.
“They had a really good junior class coming back, but do they have another quarterback who’s really good?” Mouser said. “Somebody in the future who can throw the ball? He was a playmaker. That’s the first time I saw his name.”