Editor’s note: This is a quarterback series highlighting of some of the top returning signal callers across the Texas Panhandle leading up to the kickoff of the regular season.
There is one guarantee heading into the upcoming high school football season.
The guarantee that the quarterback depth in Class 2A is extremely deep, with a veteran group of winners that bring valuable experience to their respective football teams.
Panhandle’s Broxton Robinson, Gruver’s Briggs Satterfield, Wheeler’s Creed Newkirk and West Texas High’s Cayde Winters need no introduction. All have been the staple of their football program over the past three years, putting up mind boggling stats and piling up the victories.
This foundation of dual-threat signal callers have combined to put up astronomical numbers over the years totaling 88 career starts, piling up 11,731 career passings yards and 7,789 career rushing yards.
What’s most important to their head football coaches is that each one of them is extremely hard workers and a leader of their teams.
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Leading the group is three-year starter Broxton Robinson. The bruising Panhandle Panther returns for his third year under center at quarterback and hard-hitting linebacker.
Robinson had quite the season for the Panthers as a junior last year leading Panhandle to a 10-2 record and a run to the UIL Class 2A Division I area round. Through the air, Robinson threw for 2,090 yards with 20 touchdowns while rushing for another 1,214 yards. Defensively, Robinson made 92 tackles with three of those for a loss.
However, the numbers don’t even begin to describe the player Robinson is.
“Broxton is a pillar of this program,” Panhandle head coach Dane Ashley said. “He is a guy we wanted to build everything around and we have. Broxton is a guy that we know we can trust with the ball in crunch time and the entire team respects him. I say this all the time and it is true with Broxton. When your best player is your hardest worker and he’s your vocal leader, that can change a program.”
Over the summer, Robinson committed to Army, resembling another West Texas standout that just graduated from the West Point in the highly decorated Bryson Daily from Abernathy. Robinson took a visit to West Point and was immediately hooked.
“I loved the Army coaching staff,” said Robinson, who has thrown for 4,442 career yards with 47 touchdowns. “I took a visit up there and I just loved everything about. It’s important to me to serve my country and I can’t wait to be a part of a great program. My dad has always told me I play like Bryson (Daily). Every Saturday, I always watched Bryson and I’m a huge fan of him and he was another reason I wanted to go play at West Point.”
Robinson is now ready to get his senior year going and continue to show his improvement on and off the field.
“I’m excited for this season,” said Robinson, who has totaled 183 career tackles. “We have a very good team returning. I’m a lot more comfortable as a starter now and it’s nice to have three years under my belt. I know the offense and defense much better than I did as a sophomore, and the game just flows. I have so much experience now and I’m able to help the younger guys instead of just learn. I’m still learning myself but it’s nice to pass it on.”
Satterfield has been nothing but a winner since he took over the starting job as a sophomore.
The Gruver gunslinger that can do it all has accumulated an eye-opening 28 starts, going 24-4 over that span that includes leading his team to the UIL Class 2A Division II state semifinals last season. Satterfield made major strides as a junior throwing for 2,935 yards with 37 touchdown tosses. He also used his speed to rush for 985 yards with 18 touchdowns.
Satterfield is quick to say that those accomplishments were last year, and this is an entire new year with a new Greyhound team.
“What we did last year doesn’t matter now,” said Satterfield, who has thrown for 4,753 yards with 58 career TDs. “This is a new year and we’re trying to make our own way to be successful. We had a great summer as a team, and we just want to get better and grow. That includes myself. I always need to get better and that’s what I work on every day.”
That statement from Satterfield is what coach Kurt Haberthur loves about his quarterback. Haberthur has watched Satterfield grow from a wide-eyed sophomore to a leader on this Gruver football team that every player looks up to.
“Briggs 28 games ago was very raw,” Haberthur said. “But now, he’s another coach on the field. He knows where we’re trying to get the ball to and he’s come a long way. His maturity has come a long way, and he always puts us in safe situations. He’s more of a vocal leader now and we love that he plays for us.”
Creed Newkirk is on mission and is always looking for his opportunity.
The Wheeler senior captain spent his summer taking advantage to get better by hitting six passing camps across the state and in Oklahoma to improve his craft.
“The summer was very important to me,” said Newkirk, who has made 24 career starts combining for 2,979 between rushing and passing. “I went all over the place from UT Permian Basin’s camp to Southern Nazarene’s camp to the Air It Camp in Bushland. I wanted to take advantage of every opportunity to get better and it’s helped me with my confidence.”
Wheeler head coach Matt Hoover can’t praise Newkirk enough on his work ethic. Having Newkirk in the program over the past four years, Hoover says players like him don’t come along very often.
“Creed is just such a hard worker,” Hoover said. “He spent all summer hitting camps to improve his game. Creed is always the first one in the building and the last one to leave every day. He’s hungry and is always trying to prove himself. He sets the tone for everyone, and he encourages every teammate he comes across.”
The goal for Newkirk now is to continue the success of a 9-win season and a run to the area round the Mustangs accomplished a year ago.
“We have a really good team returning,” Newkirk said. “We have a great line and a great defense. We have amazing skill players, and I know this is going to be a great year for us here at Wheeler.”
After missing his entire sophomore season with an injury in the season opener, Winters was finally able to show off his skills in a prolific way as a junior last season.
Behind Winters dynamic ability, West Texas High won seven games, finished third in District 1-2A Division I and were able to punch a ticket to the playoffs. Winters was absolutely incredible making life miserable for defenses by rushing for 1,704 yards with 31 touchdowns while adding 1,098 yards passing with another 16 TDs.
Being a senior, the expectations are even bigger for Winters and an experienced Comanche football team.
“I was little nervous at the beginning of last year with my injury,” Winters said. “But as the season got going I felt good and just started playing football. I’m 100 percent now and I think we have a great team coming back. We got two really good transfers in and I think we have what it takes to make a run.”
Head coach Jeff Smith has watched Winters face adversity and grow from his sophomore season. Smith has been a big part of the development of Winters and is excited to see him come off the leash this year on and off the field.
“I’ve been able to coach a lot of great players,” Smith said. “Cayde is up there with any of them when it comes to competitiveness and work ethic. He may be the strongest guy on the team, and he leads by example. He is the backbone of this group, and this team follows everything he does. He brings the best out in them, and he is so fun to watch every Friday. What’s also great about Cayde, is he may be a better linebacker than a quarterback. We moved him from safety to linebacker last year and he just flourished in that role.”