Amarillo High head football coach Chad Dunnam hasn’t seen it once, not twice, or even three times.
“I’ve seen it over and over and over,” a smile breaking on Dunnam’s face as he shakes his head in respect. “Jett does things in practice you see and you just shake your head. Did he really just do that? So when we see him play like he does in games, it’s no surprise. I’m so thankful he’s a Sandie.”
And did senior Jett Lopez ever play in his season-opener last Friday night.
The strong-armed Lopez lit up Class 6A Odessa High completing 15-of-23 passes for 305 yards and five touchdowns passes in Amarillo High’s 55-12 dominating win in Dick Bivins Stadium.
Lopez did all this damage in two and a half quarters of play as Dunnam went to his subs midway through the third quarter after seeing Lopez and the starters put up 42 points by halftime.
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Lopez’ five TD passes signed his name to another AHS passing record with his 46 career TD passes ranking him No. 1 all-time in Sandie history (the first AHS season dating back to the 1910s).
Last year, Lopez was brilliant completing 199-of-303 passes for 3,004 yards with 34 touchdown passes and four interceptions. The 34 TD passes set the AHS record for TD passes in a season.
Lopez said the records are special to him, but without help, there would no finding his name in the AHS record books.
“Becoming the leader for passing touchdowns at Amarillo High was a huge accomplishment for me,” Lopez said. “Breaking this record showed just how hard I have worked and how determined I am to be great. But not only does it show my ability, it shows the strength of our team. Without the linemen blocking, receivers catching passes, coaches calling the plays, I would have zero touchdowns, so ultimately, I owe it all to them. This is a team record, I just get a little more praise because I threw them.
“I also would not be able to accomplish this goal without being faithful to God and trusting the path He has chosen for me. I used to think records were pointless, but I finally understood that a record is a part of history. Meaning, I will hopefully be remembered, and that’s something I could show my kids, and grandkids, so breaking this record is pretty special to me.”
Dunnam said Lopez is special because of what he brings to the Sandies day-in and day-out. Those strengths include a high football IQ, a comfort zone to those in the AHS football program, and, maybe best of all, a player who leads with no ego.
“Jett is loved by his teammates and loved by his coaches,” Dunnam said. “Because Jett is a great kid, but he’s just kinda like a Plain Jane dude. A Plain Jane ol’ guy with no drama around him. He’s just so talented.
“The way he plays, it’s a level of confidence and comfort he brings to everybody, our coaches and our players. With the coaches, you are confident any play you call he will make it work. He’s very cerebral. He can get you out of bad situations and put you into good ones.
“Honestly, he could make somebody a tremendous college quarterback.”
Honestly, Lopez plays the game with a fierce will to win and knows exactly where his hate-to-lose mentality was molded. Right in his own house with the family he adores.
“I’m competitive because of my two sisters and three older brothers,” Lopez said. “I am always trying to be better than my siblings. Anything. I mean anything. Card games. Spoons. Board games. Anything.”
Defensive coordinators know defending Lopez’ passing prowess is a chore. But add in his ability to run, and well, Dunnam said Lopez is a nightmare to game plan for because of his unselfish ways.
“His understanding of our offense and his ability to read defenses, and then his arm talent, man, he has a talented arm,” Dunnam said. “In the RPO world of run, pass, option, his decision making right there is not greedy. Most quarterbacks like to pull it and throw it. With Jett, if the run is there, Jett will take it and if the pass is there, he will pull it and throw to open grass. That’s what Jett sees really well, open grass. And he throws a very catchable football.”
The passion for playing football found Lopez’ heart for a reason many don’t associate with a quarterback. And that’s tackling and being tackled.
“I like to hit people, even though I’m a quarterback,” Lopez said. “I used to play defense. I like to hit people. I like to be hit. I like scoring touchdowns. That’s why football grabbed my heart.”
Faith also rides in Lopez’ heart and he displays that every game by wearing the number 2 jersey.
“I wear the number two because God is first and I am second,” Lopez said.
Dunnam also heaped praise on Lopez for his commitment to film study, an aspect off the field that has elevated Lopez to another level of understanding defenses.
“I do love to study the game, but I think it comes from just the love I have for the game of football,” Lopez said. “I watch other quarterbacks and try to understand what they are doing. Sitting down with my coaches and my dad watching film and learning what I can do better and knowing what the defense does.
“After practice in the morning I’ll go to Huddle and watch our film and watch the other teams’ film. Then after school we have a film session with our coaches. It’s just a lot of watching film. If I’m bored in class or even on a break at work, I’ll watch. I just like it.”
Lopez said the good vibes hovering around this year’s AHS team arrive from respect the coaches give the players and the players willing to bring the juice to the team.
“We have a lot of energy every practice and are super competitive on both sides, offense and defense,” Lopez said. “Every single captain is getting after it. But this year every single player is like a captain that’s because how hard they go in practice.”
And, a nudge of inspiration here and there from the AHS coaches certainly has been a ray of sunshine for Lopez as he plays out his senior year.
“This coaching staff at Amarillo High means a lot to me,” Lopez said. “They have pushed me since day one at middle school. They do the right thing all the time and get us to do the right thing. It’s just a special relationship they build with the kids. That’s just something everyone should have. If they don’t have somebody at home they have the coaches here.”
Win or lose, throw five TD passes or five interceptions in a game, for Lopez it’s all part of what he considers a honor to be playing quarterback for Amarillo High’s storied 100-year plus football program.
“I’ve been pretty much waiting since the last game last season to come out here for my senior year,” Lopez said. “The expectations for Amarillo High is always to be that great team going into the playoffs and win playoff games.
“It’s very important to me being a Sandie. Not a lot of guys get the chance to be the quarterback at Amarillo High. Just being that leader for the community really means a lot to me.”
And, a lot to other people, like Coach Dunnam who will be shaking his head in amazement a whole lot in 2025 if game one from Jett Lopez is any indication of what the future holds.