Florala sophomore quarterback Jacob Hammac passed his way into the Alabama High School Athletic Association record books as he helped lead the Wildcats to one of their best seasons in recent history.

In just nine games, Hammac completed 202-of-348 passes from 2,569 yards and 27 touchdowns.

“I was looking forward to working with him when I got the job,” first-year Wildcat head coach Scott Mason said. “The principal told me that he felt they had a good quarterback that would really benefit the kind of system that we run. When I saw him and talked to him, I could tell that he was a smart kid that was passionate about the game.”

Mason said that passion and Hammac’s thirst for knowledge created a strong bond between the coach and his quarterback.

“Jacob is a guy that is always asking intelligent questions,” Mason said. “He wants to understand every aspect of the game. He is constantly asking questions about coverages and what makes things work. That impressed me from the get-go. He is like having an extra coach for me and that’s been great.”

After not winning a game during his freshman year, the sophomore quarterback helped lead the Wildcats to three wins in 2017 and just narrowly missed the playoffs.

“Not winning a game last year was my motivation for this year,” Hammac said. “I felt like it was a good year, but it could have been better. We are young, but next year will be better. This is the funniest time I’ve had playing football in a long time.”

Hammac said that he looks to build off this year’s success.

“It’s pretty honorable,” Hammac said of reaching the AHSAA record books. “It makes me feel proud and gives me push to get even better in the offseason.”

Mason said that Hammac’s growth throughout the year was crucial.

“Jacob really came a long way during the season,” Mason said. “There is no doubt that he has a big arm, and at times that got him in trouble. He would try to do a little too much, but he also made a lot of big plays. He really came along way in his decision making process. He started to realize that we don’t have to try to throw the ball deep on every play, and started taking what the defense would give him.”

As for Hammac’s future, Mason said that it looks bright.

“Before it’s all said and done, he could be the best quarterback that I’ve ever coached,” Mason said. “If he keeps improving, he has a chance to be a good quarterback at the next level.”