Let’s continue our chalk talk in this series with four-star quarterback Chase Brice of Grayson High School.

Chase has been playing football for as long as he can remember and he’s been the starter at Grayson for almost three years. He will graduate in spring of 2017.

There have been some changes over at the field house for the Rams though. After 16 seasons as the only head coach Grayson has ever known, Mickey Conn is headed to the big leagues, accepting a coaching position at Clemson University.

That also happens to be where Chase has committed to play college football. But don’t get it twisted… he’s not going there to follow his old head coach, who also happens to be his uncle.

“I actually got my offer in the summer. I think it was June,” he said. “So I’d been committed before he got the job.”

Chase has known his former head coach a lot longer than most… since birth, actually. When the time came for their family relationship to collide with their football responsibilities, Chase admits… “It was a little awkward at first.”

“I was the backup [quarterback] at the time. I wanted to play, didn’t want to play, I didn’t want people to say things,” he added.

I’ll translate that for you: basically, he didn’t want anyone to think he didn’t earn his role as the starting quarterback. People would inevitably assume that blood is thicker than water and that being the coach’s nephew would’ve given him certain privileges.

He proved that theory wrong.

According to 247 Sports, he’s the 11 th best pro-style quarterback recruit in the country.

Football has always been part of the pedigree.

“It’s always been a major priority. Everyone has played football. Uncle Mick played football at Alabama,” he adds.

Aside from his family’s passion for the sport, this is also a football town. Chase has been part of the program ever since childhood, participating in Grayson football camps and being a ball boy. There’s not a memory that doesn’t have the gridiron in it.

Chase recalled some of those earlier years, learning from Coach (Uncle) Mickey Conn adding that “he installed a lot of the character in me and he was just a great role model for me to look up to.”

And it won’t be long until they’re reunited again at the collegiate level.

The ties between Grayson and Clemson are long and deep… Running back Wayne Gallman, quarterback Nick Schuessler and cornerback Ryan Carter are all Grayson alums who play (or have played) at Clemson.

So needless to say, there’s a pipeline there.

Chase has developed into one of the best pro-style quarterbacks the state has seen. As a pro-style quarterback, that means he is pretty consistent in his decision-making and accuracy. The offense is very well balanced and he does a good job not putting his receivers in tough positions.

“I try not to force things. I simply look at what they’re [defense] giving us, and take the safest route,” he said.

You can’t be a good pro-style quarterback and lack in decision-making instinct.

Things will be different at Grayson this year. Coach Conn was the commander in chief for 16 seasons, bringing home one state title. Now, Jeff Herron will take over and so far Chase likes what he sees with his new head coach.

“I think he’s a great coach, he has the resume, he’s won multiple state championships, he’s a winner in my book,” he said.

He has also noticed similarities in both coaches, adding that Herron has “high character and class. They both preach the same things- be persistent, work hard, do everything 100%.”

So what can we expect for next season then?

Wouldn’t we all like to know…

Who can tell at this stage of the season anyway? I mean, really. It’s not the time to predict state champions just yet… but I’ll tell you this: keep an eye out for wide receiver Evan Sturgill, who Chase says could be a game-changer this year.

“He is really amazing at what he does with his speed, his route-running, his hands are unbelievable, the best hands I’ve ever seen,” he said.

I bet that makes his job easier.

“He’s definitely going to be a huge target this year and one of my leading receivers I hope,” he continued.

The last and only state championship title for the Rams came in 2011, which means there’s a hunger to get back to that place. With a new coach at the helm, a lot of depth and one of the best quarterbacks in the country… could this be the year?