LJ FB: Diehl highlights

By Ed Piper

In doing some research on this Fall's roster, quarterback Jackson Diehl's highlights posted on HUDL from his JV season last year and his freshman season in April 2021 come up.

"Early on, he's the frontrunner" at QB, La Jolla High head coach Tyler Roach said Thurs., May 26. Diehl will likely play during the Vikings' Spring Game next Fri., June 3, from 6 to 7 p.m. That will precede an Alumni Flag Football Game at approximately 7 p.m.

One gathers the following from viewing the videos:

--Diehl can throw a pass. That's not such a stupid statement. This sportswriter, who has covered La Jolla since 2004 (18 years), has witnessed football seasons in which the designated quarterback could not throw a pass consistently.

As adept passers, we think of Collin Rugg (All-CIF in 2013-2014). Jackson Stratton tore it up in 2019, before COVID hit, to help lead the Vikes to the CIF Southern California championship. That's about it for the past 18 years, not to be cruel but to be honest. There were a lot of strivers, but not a lot of succeeders especially in the pre-Rugg years.

--In the videos, the newer Jackson can make various throws:

     --He leads off the first video, against Point Loma JV's last Fall, with a long TD connection.

     --Diehl throws the short completion over the middle (a couple of those), another of medium distance the unidentified receiver runs with after the reception.

--JD shows he can run, when needed, in the same highlights.

--Diehl identifies as a quarterback. Again, in my experience, there were years when the "best athlete" got put into the QB position and didn't completely identify as a quarterback. Again, that's not to knock anybody. There some pretty lean years in there, after Dave Ponsford retired in 2008-2009. He later faced a dying program that barely stayed on life support.

--According to the videos posted on HUDL, Diehl and the freshmen played four games in April 2021 as COVID let up a little after all sports were cancelled from March 13, 2020, until the Spring the next year. The LJHS freshmen played at Orange Glen. Jackson connects on a long touchdown play, among other highlights.

One new to viewing the highlights is struck by the constant (and justified) ads against vaping on the website.

None of this is written to attempt to force Roach's hand in who he chooses for quarterback. It wouldn't be successful, anyway. We'll know more after watching the Vikings play their Spring Game scrimmage next week, Fri., June 3.