Garrity aims for big-time improvement
Buffalo Grove quarterback Mike Garrity hopes to perform better in the bigger games as a senior.
Especially the ones that occur after the nine-game regular-season schedule. The ones the Bison have missed out on the last seven years and barely eluded them last season as a 5-4 team which failed to make the postseason.
"It's a huge motivator to come that close and not be able to make the playoffs," Garrity said of the losses by a total of 19 points. "It drives you to work hard so it doesn't happen again this year."
How hard did Garrity work after a solid junior season where he threw for 938 yards and 11 touchdowns with only 3 interceptions and ran for 361 yards and 5 TDs?
"No one worked hard than him from last November to now," said BG coach Jim Farrell. "For us, it will be nice to not only have our best player but probably our best kid back."
Garrity has the speed as he qualified for the state track meet in the 110-meter high hurdles with a best time of 14.5 seconds. He has the arm strength and figures to be improved in both areas.
"This year I almost feel like a different player with all of the experience I got," Garrity said. "I learned so much, mostly what I did badly last year, and that should help out this year.
"Reading defenses and being poised in big games (are different). Being myself and being calm and not letting a huge game get me rattled."
Garrity also expects to fill the leadership voids left by graduated standouts such as Kevin Mulligan, John Angotti and Mike Cornely.
And Garrity said he is more concerned with the immediate future than his own long-term plans.
"I'm really trying to focus on my senior season and I'll worry about all the other college stuff afterward," said Garrity, who has a 4.0 grade point average on a 5.0 scale, scored 22 on the ACT and wants to study business. "I don't want to just make the playoffs, but I want to get there and make some noise and do some damage in the playoffs."
Those are the big games Garrity has been preparing for all off-season.