Stover breaks school single-game passing TDs record in his third RCHS start
Rabun County has been blessed by good quarterbacking for four years, and are well on their way to a fifth year.
After four years of Gunner Stockton, who holds multiple Georgia state records including most passing touchdowns in a career with 177, career all-purpose yards (18,024) and all-purpose TDs (254), senior transfer from West Forsyth Keegan Stover stepped into the quarterback spot for the Wildcats.
It’s safe to say he’s settled in. In his third game as a Wildcat on Friday, Sept. 2, Stover broke the high school passing touchdowns record, going 20-31 for 465 yards and a record-shattering eight touchdowns in a game against Adairsville which Rabun County won 72-36.
The eight-touchdown performance is tied for the second-most in state history, only behind North Whitfield’s Ed Staten in 1962.
The previous school record was six touchdowns set by Stockton.
Stover had six touchdowns at halftime.
“I didn’t even know I broke it until Saturday,” Stover said. “I hurt my ankle last week so I knew I wasn’t going to be as mobile so I knew I’d have to get the ball out quickly and make the passes.”
Stover threw half of his touchdowns for his record-setting night to senior Jaden Gibson.
Stover, a Dawson County native, said he and Gibson have been best friends since middle school.
“Jaden called me and said ‘let’s go break some records and win a state championship,’” Stover said.
Stover’s family grew up with football, with his dad, Craig Stover, a strength coach at Iowa. When Iowa standout Tim Dwight was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons, Dwight matched Stover’s salary to bring him down to Atlanta.
Stover first remembers playing quarterback around third grade.
“I played tight end for the first three games,” Stover said. “Our quarterback went out and I had four touchdowns and I thought ‘I like this’ and I’ve been a quarterback ever since.”
One thing that has surprised Stover about Rabun County is how much the community cares about football.
“I would go to a restaurant and they knew me before I even took a snap,” Stover said.
Part of the community involvement includes fireworks being shot off after every touchdown, which means on a random night in September, the county got a firework show that rivaled the Fourth of July.
“That was actually the first time I’ve seen fireworks,” Stover said. “One of my favorite feelings is when you throw a pass and end up on your back and you can’t see anything and you hear the crowd roar as your receiver catches it for a touchdown.”
First year head coach Michael Davis said he’s not surprised how quickly Stover has settled into the offense.
“He’s very cerebral,” Davis said. “He studies the game a lot, every time he watches film he brings a notebook, he’s like a sponge. He’s also extremely accurate, his accuracy has been really good.”
Stover said the biggest difference from West Forsyth to Rabun County is on every play he’s reading the defense, especially run-pass options where Stover can make the decision to keep the ball and pass it to an early-developing route, or give it to the running back if the offensive line has an advantage.
“We’ve got a lot of RPO’s built into the offense,” Davis said. “He’s reading leverage and the box, I’m comfortable with him making the right read, so he can do whatever he want.”
Stover said it’s been awesome playing with his best friend, Gibson.
“On our second touchdown, we looked at each other and nodded and we knew immediately what we were gonna do,” Stover said.
That touchdown went for 64 yards with Stover hitting Gibson perfectly on a post route.
“Both Gibson and Stover know the offense really well, they both know the holes and where we’re trying to attack,” Davis said. “They can change calls at the line of scrimmage if they see something they like either for Gibson or another weapon. They’re usually on the same page, it’s worked out pretty good.”
So far Gibson has hauled in eight of Stover’s 13 touchdown passes for 493 yards. Stover is sitting at 963 yards after three games with 48 completions on 77 attempts, good for a 145.7 quarterback rating.
While breaking records is nice, Stover said his main focus is winning a state championship.
“I just want to play ball, that’s all I care about,” Stover said. “I just want to win a state championship.”
One person Stover said he’s developed chemistry with that surprised him is fellow senior transfer Noah Legault.
Legault transferred from West Hall to Rabun County where he has made an immediate impact on both sides of the ball.
Legualt has 173 yards on eight receptions with two touchdowns as well as a forced fumble and fumble recovery and seven tackles.
“He’s a baller,” Stover said. “He’s gonna play somewhere.”
Davis said he’s seen Stover mesh well with everyone on offense.
“He jells well with all of them, all the wide receivers and running back Lang Windham,” Davis said. “He’s got so many weapons, he knows if Gibson is being double or triple teamed, someone else is gonna be open.”
“I love it up here,” Stover said. “Everyone on the football team really took me in.”
Davis said Stover is fun to coach.
“He’s a great kid, he’s got a great work ethic and he wants to get better every day,” Davis said. “You can’t ask for more, especially from your quarterback.”
While he’s a senior and with colleges looming on the horizon, Stover is focused on this season and trying to bring a state championship to Rabun County.
“Walking onto that home field, it’s special,” Stover said. “You almost get jitters, it’s the best feeling in the world.”