A HAPPY GUY: Winner of the Gatorade National Player of the Year was all smiles after getting the award at Mater Dei Thursday morning. MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER |
Mater Dei's Barkley first junior to win national award
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SANTA ANA- Matt Barkley arrived at the steakhouse a little late Wednesday night but ready to celebrate a special night for his mother and listen to the music his father had picked for the gathering.
But the Mater Dei quarterback, known for his control on the field, had no idea another play had been called.
"I made some story up about having a violin player or something there," said Barkley's father, Les, who helped draw up the audible. "He came in the room and he didn't actually know what was going on."
Barkley clapped for his mother, Beverly, but soon learned that the night belonged to him.
He had been selected the Gatorade National Football Player of the Year.
On Thursday morning, the award became official with a ceremony at Mater Dei. In front his family, coaches, teammates and about eight or nine television or video cameras, the junior became the first Orange County football player and first non-senior to accept the award.
Past winners include Peyton Manning and Emmitt Smith.
"It's breathtaking to know they picked me as a junior," Barkley said.
As Barkley acknowledged his support during his press conference, the ceremony started to feel, even to him, like a Heisman Trophy fantasy moment – only at the high school level.
"It kind of does," said Barkley, who wore a blue, long-sleeve shirt and striped tie and sat next to Mater Dei coach Bruce Rollinson at one of the head tables.
"Someone mentioned that Gatorade is trying to become the high school Heisman in a sense. Achieving that is amazing. And just being here today with all the cameras and photos and stuff is pretty sweet."
Barkley earned the award based on his performance on the field, in the classroom and in the community.
While the Monarchs' season ended sooner than they expected, Barkley posted some impressive numbers. In just 11 games, he passed for an Orange County-record 3,560 yards, breaking the week-old standard of Sage Hill's Jamie McGee (3,493 yards).
Barkley completed 213 of 340 attempts (63 percent), tossed 35 touchdown passes and was intercepted only nine times. Mater Dei lost in the Pac-5 Division quarterfinals to Crespi of Encino.
Barkley (6-3, 220) already has been rated as the top college prospect for the recruiting class of 2009 by rivals.com. He hasn't committed but has scholarship offers from USC, UCLA and Florida, among others.
Dave Money, Mater Dei's offensive coordinator and quarterback coach, said Barkley's character and intelligence make him special.
"He is just a remarkable young man," Money said. "He got a great work ethic. His faith in the Lord. He's a student of the game. He works very hard in the offseason."
Since his run at Mater Dei began in 1989, Money has coached quarterback Matt Leinart, who won the Heisman Trophy at USC, and quarterback Colt Brennan, who finished third in this year's Heisman race representing Hawaii. Money said, at this stage of his high school career, Barkley wins the comparisons with Leinart and Brennan.
"I can truthfully say, at this time, he's further ahead of any quarterback I've had," Money said of Barkley, who started as a freshman.
When the subject of his passing statistics came up after the ceremony, Barkley pushed them aside without much interest. But when asked about his grade-point average, he pointed out that his overall GPA is 3.9 and that the 3.77 in the news release is from this year.
Barkley's resume for the award was rounded out by his community service.
He has participated in Mater Dei's Monarchs for Marines program. Barkley and his teammates spent a 14-hour workday at Camp Pendleton in July, landscaping, building sand volleyball courts and hosting a youth football camp.
Barkley's parents helped start the program but consulted their oldest son for ideas.
"He (Matt) was instrumental in it, but there were a lot of players who were very involved from the beginning," Les Barkley said.
The program has raised more than $100,000 for families of wounded and fallen members of the 1st Marine Division. Barkley also is involved in Mater Dei's Special Games, which is similar to the Special Olympics.
"It's not just obviously the talent he has on the field but it's how great of a person he is," said Mater Dei left tackle Khaled Holmes, who recently committed to USC. "It's something that separates him from obviously every other football player in the country."
Barkley might be the best player in the nation but he seems well grounded. He talked about his part-time job as a parking valet at South Coast Plaza. Les Barkley talked about the chores his son completes such as taking out the trash, washing dishes and keeping his room clean.
"I'm not really nervous or feel any pressures to live up to all this stuff because I'm not going to change anything about me," Barkley said. "I'm just going keep doing what I do and come back next year (and) hopefully win a championship."
• Related: Matt Barkley bio, stats, photos and videos
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
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