Burnet quarterbacks playing well during 7 on 7

CAPTION: Cohen Jorpeland scans the field looking for an open receiver. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography

The 2025 Burnet High School football team will have a new quarterback under center.

The question is who will that quarterback be?

While that answer won’t be revealed until after fall training camp in the August, the Bulldogs are putting in some serious work right now.

To get an idea of what offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Colton Brewer is looking for, fans don’t have to look far than the two athletes who played the position the last two years – Rhett Murray and Marcus Pimentel. Both graduated a few days ago.

“Rhett and Marcus were awesome,” he said. “Yeah, they were great. And it was a sheer luxury to have those two guys. Obviously, they can play the game really well and at a high level. But their leadership in and out of drills and on the practice field, how we do things, how we travel and how to really prepare like a champion was huge. And those guys were two of the best that I’ve ever seen doing it.” 

And Brewer was equally enthusiastic about the quarterbacks who are coming through the ranks, specifically Charles Edwards and Cohen Jorpeland.

Since the Burnet baseball season ended May 10, the two have been splitting time at the position during 7-on-7 matchups. Their biggest hurdle right now is getting reps at the varsity position where defenders typically are stronger, faster and more athletic.

Brewer said that though the two haven’t played much quarterback on the varsity level, they are familiar with the intangibles.

“Charles Edwards is a kid that was on the varsity last year and was the backup quarterback on paper. He got some snaps and took some series,” the coach said. “Cohen Jorpeland was a kid that started at wide receiver and was a force by the end of the year. He scored a touchdown against Stephenville and really came on late. He was the junior varsity quarterback with Charles two years ago. So both of those guys will be seniors, and we’re expecting big things from them.”

The two quarterbacks embrace all that comes with the position, Brewer said.

“Both of them have been quarterbacks in our system as freshmen and sophomores and Charles, even as a junior,” he said. “And so they both know the back end foundation, if you will, as far as what we asked those guys to do: being here early, working extra, staying late, that kind of (thing). So they have those things that put them in front of their peers.” 

They also understand that a big part of being a quarterback is being a leader, not only in the quarterback room but in every aspect, he added. It’s also important that whomever doesn’t win the starting job support the one who did in and out of the locker room and on and off the field, Brewer said.

“And in a good sense of leadership,” he said. “I think what we look for is just who is doing the best job with their unique relationships. It sounds cheesy about telling those guys to be themselves and be genuine with their teammates. And the more they serve their teammates, the more their teammates will want to serve them. So I think that’s the biggest thing is just putting them into a role of leadership. And then watching them serve.” 

Brewer used Murray and Pimentel as the ideal scenario where they both got their teammates to believe in them.

“Rhett was the quarterback and Marcus was the receiver and was the quarterback, but both of those guys were so team first,” he said. “And their talent took a back seat to their desire and their passion for their team to be successful, and I think when you get a win-first guy in the driver’s seat, how fast he can drive the car doesn’t matter in that analogy. And we got some guys that are talented drivers in this analogy. They’re going to be able to do that.” 

CAPTION: Charles Edwards is one of two seniors vying for the starting job of Burnet Bulldog quarterback in 2025. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography