The legs of Gevani McCoy have carried Lakewood football back into Moore League contention this season, and the junior quarterback says his confidence is growing every day in the new Lancers offense.
“Going into league we kind of unleashed him a little bit with some designed run plays,” Lakewood first-year coach Scott Meyer said. “For not being a big kid he runs pretty hard and has been a huge key to our offense.”
Lakewood (4-3, 3-0) is averaging 34 points per league game while McCoy has racked up 731 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns in the last three weeks. He hasn’t thrown an interception since the season opener and has a 101.1 passer rating this year, according to MaxPreps.
“In the first part of the season we were still trying to see what he had,” McCoy said. “We were kind of experimenting. Once we entered league we put the (Run Pass Option) plays in and that opened everything up.”
McCoy grew up in Los Angeles playing football, basketball and baseball but always considered himself a quarterback first and foremost. He started flag football in first grade and Baldwin Hills pop warner three years later where he won three championships as a quarterback and safety.
When it came time for McCoy to choose a high school he joined his cousin at Lakewood because he said he wanted to, “start somewhere fresh and try to build a new chapter.”
McCoy won the starting quarterback job as a sophomore, but it was the first year he wasn’t in the spread offense because the Lancers relied heavily on running back Sebastian Kronberger.
“It wasn’t frustrating because we had one of the best backs in the league,” McCoy said. “But it’s fun to be in the spread.”
Meyer spent the majority of his coaching career on defense, but has moved to offense where he’s been slowly expanding the playbook in his first year at Lakewood. The Lancers are coming off of consecutive three-win seasons and Meyer has quickly left his mark.
“It all starts with him and the coaching staff,” McCoy said. “We have a great coaching staff. They came in and were just on top of it. They weren’t playing any games. We’ve just been listening to them and going along with the plan.”
That plan and the newly implemented RPO plays have helped McCoy average over 100 yards rushing and score six touchdowns in league. The 6’1” 160-pound signal caller said playing safety in youth football helped improve his natural reactions while on the run.
CLICK HERE to watch McCoy’s game-winning touchdown run against Millikan earlier this month.
“He likes to run the ball,” Meyer said. “He gets out there and has some good vision.”
McCoy, who enjoys studying history and wants to play football in college, said his older brother Gary has been an inspiration.
“He has a really big impact on my life,” McCoy said. “I look up to him so much. He motivates me every day. He’s always helping me out and looking out for me.”
Meyer said the increased productivity on the field has also improved McCoy’s leadership skills.
“I think the other players respect him a lot for who he is and the way he’s been performing,” Meyer said. “As league started he’s become more of a vocal leader. He’d been more of a lead-by-example type quarterback, but he’s become more vocal as of late which is good for us…we’re excited that he’s only a junior.”
Lakewood High School Football Touchdown Gevani McCoy
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