Harper's Rules 1 & 2

Chapter 50: Jake

UW largely had the same core team as the one we'd beaten in last year's PAC-12 conference, which included their starters. With another year of experience, they'd looked even more impressive in their own 4-0 start this season. My personal record against the Huskies pre-Hightower was 2-0, but 1-1 after he'd taken over the offense. In high school, we were 1-1 in the state conference finals and even 2-2-1 in the regular season games.

Definitely time to settle that tied score.

Offensively, UW ran a west-coast offense, led by Hightower and involved a pass-first approach. A lot of his plays involved blind passes, which were a lot harder to defend against because his eyes looked away from his intended targets. It also required a smart, accurate, and mobile quarterback.

UW's version used two running backs in the backfield, usually split on either side of Hightower, who picked up extra blocks and bought him more time. He split three receivers across the line with a tight end, usually stacked up right near his linemen. Their version differed in that they relied less on short, horizontal routes across the field and deeper routes that matched their receiver's speeds, but still required the same rhythm, timing, and ball protection.

The West Coast offense was just as a mindfuck as it was physically grueling on a quarterback. Each play designated a certain number of dropped back steps, so the quarterback understood the timing and where to slot the passes. While I never gave Hightower credit, he'd been one of the few high school quarterbacks who played like he saw the field two-to-four steps ahead of all the other twenty-one players on the field.

At a higher level of play, our defense had put in extra hours this week, where they ran man of man coverage, while offensively my team matched up well against the Huskies' zone defense. Like every week, we'd tweaked the receivers' routes, they whined in response. This time their routes were slotted between the linebackers' and corners' zones.

All week Drake had muttered with a quiet determination about how important this game was to him. He still hadn't gotten over the missed field goal he'd kicked at Huskies Stadium last year that ended up being a difference-maker in terms of the final scores. I'd assured him over and over that he'd redeemed himself in the PAC-12 championship game, then the Rose Bowl, that followed but he gave me a look like he was completely unconvinced.

Drake, like most of our team, was as equally as seasoned. Only Adonis Grant, my center, was a third year. My spread offense started quicker since we skipped most of the huddles. Our run-first, short yard pass pickups were a lot less flashier than Hightower's bag of tricks but we ran them efficiently and successfully.

My mind was unusually distracted during the warmups. Like usually, I mentally matched up our offensive players against the Huskies' defenders. But when I looked over at the Huskies' number ten's warmup, Logan's stupid facial reactions from dinner resurfaced in my mind. Each time, he silently but clearly showed his opinion on my and Harper's relationship.

Do I like what we have? Fuck yes.

Do I want more? Maybe, but -

"Harrison!" Evan zinged a ball right into the center of my chest. I grunted at the contact but snapped my fingers around the ball before it fell past my torso.

"Head in the game," Griff chirped out next to me. "Big night tonight, smile for all the cameras."

"Don't need the reminder," I huffed quietly but my eyes lifted straight up to my two seats, where Harper and Ellie sat.

At first glance, both reclined back in their seats with casual smiles and traded conversations that led to one or both of them laughing every few moments. But even from thirty yards away, I sensed the strain in Ellie's eyes because it sat there from the second after Harper opened up her mouth and blurted out the truth.