The quarterback play in the county has stood out through the first couple of weeks of the football season.

This is not so much a surprise as it is a verification of the talent that we knew was there, but just had to see it come to fruition.

Jarrett Baker of Isabella and Jackson Abbott of Maplesville are two instances where you could sense the potential, but they had just not seen enough game action heading into the season to gather a truly accurate reading.

It has been a seamless transition to start the year in both cases.

Maturity is the word that is used the most when people describe Abbott, and his play and demeanor can make it easy to forget that he is only a sophomore.

Baker is a senior and has waited his turn for this opportunity and appears prepared to do whatever he can to make the most of it.

Both Maplesville and Isabella have dynamic running games and veteran receiving options that can help foster a quarterback’s growth.

Thorsby’s offense is arguably the most explosive in the county, and the triggerman behind the success is once again Christian Fortner.

It took just three games to surpass 500 yards passing on the season, and he is just as dangerous with his legs.

It is Fortner’s third year as Thorsby’s starting quarterback, and that is evident in the precision of the offense.

Another quarterback getting it done on the ground is ShiKeem Laister of CCHS.

Laister is in his first full season as the Tigers’ starter, and has proven to be a dual threat from day one.

He has put up stats that challenge some of the top running backs in the county and is averaging more than a first down per carry.

Jemison’s Daniel Martin has shown a noticeable improvement in his drop back passing, while Billingsley’s Walker Motley has provided the Bears’ offense with some much-needed stability in the early going.

It will be fun to watch the progression of these signal callers as they continue to showcase their talents throughout the season.