This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Sandy • Remaining objective while watching greatness in the present tense can be tricky.
But the argument can be made that Jordan senior quarterback Austin Kafentzis is the greatest high school offensive football player in Utah history.
He currently owns 10 state records including career total offense, rushing yardage, rushing touchdowns, carries, hundred-yard games, and points scored. He could add three more before the season and his career ends.
"Austin Kafentzis' most striking characteristic, which differentiates him from other great prep quarterbacks, is his versatility," said Utah prep football historian George Felt. "Other quarterbacks who appear on the career total offense list have been stronger passers, while the state's leading rushers have been running backs. There isn't another quarterback who ranks in the top-25 in all-time career rushing yards. So the fact that he has set that record is an amazing accomplishment."
Whether the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Kafentzis' unique skill set transfers to the college level — he has committed to play at Wisconsin — remains to be seen. And whether he joins Utah prep quarterbacks such as Roy's Jim McMahon, Provo's Gifford Nielsen or Springville's Scott Mitchell who went on to play in the National Football League is still a long way off.
But for now, the four-year Beetdigger starter seems content trying to win Jordan's second state 5A football title in three years while savoring his final days as a high school senior.
"I have never looked at the records," the friendly quarterback said while sitting in the football coaches' office at Jordan last week. "My dad talks to Felt but the end result I am looking for is getting a state championship. I worry about getting better each week. You want to worry about the right things, not trying to get 300 yards to set a record. Things will come. But if you start doing that [worrying about records], you start trying to fit balls into tight holes and not playing the game for the right reason. You want to have fun and win the game."
Kafentzis said he does not know his statistics, from not only this year but the past three years. He seems more content enjoying playing football with his teammates, exploring Utah's outdoors and hanging out with friends and cousins he might not see as often when he moves to Madison.
He also carries a 3.94 grade point average.
Jordan coach Eric Kjar admires Kafentzis's ability to focus.
"He has done a good job of working and focusing on football," said Kjar, who started Kafentzis as a freshman. "Everything else has fallen into place. He doesn't care about the records. … He is good at game prep, working in the weight room, running and watching film."
Kjar said that Kafentzis was physically ready to be a starter as a freshman. He was strong and smart.
"It was crazy," Kafentzis said, recalling his rookie seasons. "The game speed going from little league to high school was faster. There was timing on throwing. You had to anticipate your throws and be there, know the play book, know where receivers are going to be and to throw to the open spot. … You don't see those defenses in little league."
The quarterback's experience seems to give the Beetdiggers — who dropped to 4-1 on the season after losing Friday to Herriman — confidence when they get down. This is a team that is notoriously known for starting slow.
"He helps our team a lot," said Kjar. "As much as he has been around and doing everything he has done, he can relax in situations and in games. It gives him some confidence."
Kafentzis said it has also helped having his father Kyle, Jordan's defensive coordinator, nearby. The elder Kafentzis played for the University of Hawaii and signed a free agent contract with the Chicago Bears in 1987, but tore an ACL late in camp. He and his brother Sean started a cookie company in Utah called Pastries Plus, which they sold in 2007.
"My dad's defense is pretty complex every day in practice," said Austin. "This is stuff he learned with the Bears and in college."
The quarterback said discussing football with his father helps him get better. Kyle will notice something an opposing defense is doing and then work with Austin on how to attack it.
"It's like two brains as one when we are figuring things out," said Austin.
While savoring his senior season, Kafentzis can't help but think about the future. He has visited Wisconsin since signing and has another trip planned soon, He is getting to know other Badger recruits. And, whether he is playing or is a redshirt, his first college game will be Wisconsin versus Alabama (and former Utah prep quarterback Cooper Bateman) in the Dallas Cowboys' stadium next fall.
"I didn't think I would commit the first time I visited," the Jordan star said about his recruiting trip to Madison. "But you get a feeling for the coaches. I watched coach [Andy] Ludwig handle the drills and how he coached and I told my dad right away I loved it. In his mind, he thought it was the best fit. We looked at the dual threat quarterback at Utah State like [Wisconsin coach] Gary [Anderson] did with Chuckie Keeton."
He is getting registered at Wisconsin so he can enroll in January and take part in spring. However, he hopes to maintain a dual enrollment at Jordan so he can try to qualify for the state track meet, where he is top javelin thrower.
For now, though, there are games to play in tough Region Three against powers such as Bingham and Brighton, a probable state tournament appearance and a chance for Kafentzis to add to his legacy as perhaps Utah's greatest high school offensive football player.
"When outstanding players have set state records during the past decade, I keep thinking this one will last for a long time, and then a few short years later, that record is broken," said Felt. "But I'm fairly confident Austin's records, especially for career total offense, will last for a long, long time."
Twitter @tribtomwharton —
Rewriting the record book
State prep football records Jordan QB Austin Kafentzis holds after last week's games:
Career total offense • 16,160 yards
Career rushing yards • 5,793
Career rushing touchdowns • 86
Career total touchdowns • 86
Career carries • 826
Career 100-yard games • 32
Career pass attempts • 1,170
Career TDs responsible for • 174 (86 rush, 88 pass).
Career points scored • 516
Single-game TD passes • 8 (tied with Alex Hart, Jordan)
– Source, George Felt —
Closing in
Categories where Kafentzis is nearing setting new state records:
Passing yards • 10,367 (Needs 585 to tie Alex Kuresa, Mountain Crest)
Touchdown passes • 88 (13 needed to match Kuresa's 101)
Pass completions • 664 (87 short of Kuresa's 751)
Austin's best games
Total offense • 569 yards (sixth all time)
Rushing • 279 yards
Rushing touchdowns • 5 (twice in 2013)
Pasing yards • 446 yards
– Source, George Felt