By JIM McCUE| Senior Contributor
Ask Folsom junior Jake Browning about his accolades and you are likely to hear about his linemen, receivers, coaches, and the Bulldogs’ success as a team.
The humble record-setting quarterback led Folsom to its second consecutive Sac-Joaquin Section championship and set California state records for passing yards and touchdowns in 2013, but those remarkable feats are secondary to Browning being selected as the recipient of the 2014 Art Savage Award given to the area’s top male high school athlete.
At least, if you ask him.
“Jake loves being a good teammate,” Folsom co-head coach and longtime quarterback mentor Troy Taylor said. “While he appreciates it, he is not into the notoriety.”
Like it or not, Browning has been turning heads and attracting the attention of college recruiters ever since he tossed 10 touchdown passes in his first start as a sophomore in 2012. Recruiters flocked to the campus to get an up-close look at what they marveled at on tape, but Browning never changed his approach.
“Some guys get really into the whole recruiting process, but Jake has never changed since I first met him years ago,” Taylor added. “He is still the same hard-working, humble, coachable player he always has been. And college coaches love that.”
Even his announcement to commit to the University of Washington was a shared accomplishment. Browning posted a selfie on Twitter with younger sister Ella and a simple statement: “Excited to be a dawg when my high school days are over. Ella is too.”
Browning led the Bulldogs to their second consecutive 14-1 season and passed for a record 5,737 yards and 75 touchdowns, including a record-56 scoring strikes during the regular season. His first two seasons under center have the junior on the brink of rewriting the state record book for career performance. He needs just nine TDs in his senior season to break the state record for career TD passes, and is almost certain to finish his career with more passing yards and TDs than anyone in California high school history.
Browning understands his success is dependent on the 10 other players on the field with him, as well as a huge supporting cast of teammates, coaches, friends, and family. How he genuinely expresses that is both refreshing and exciting.
“The whole culture of the team is to understand that the team is bigger than you,” Taylor said. “Strong leadership is about giving up self-interest for your teammates, and Jake gives up his glory to his teammates.”
Just ask Jake Browning.
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