Dan Hines knows the Alex Farina’s don’t come around too often.
Arguably Desert Vista’s best football player is also one of the Ahwatukee high school’s most acclaimed students…who happens to play quarterback.
The 6’2, 195-pound junior is the biggest reason Hines and his staff believe the fall will be far less cruel than the Thunder’s 3-7 2014 campaign. Farina, who plans on getting in the medical field, has already received offers from NAU and the Ivy League’s Cornell, as well as interest from San Diego State who recently sent coaches to D.V. to watch spring workouts.
“He’s a great student and also a great citizen around campus,” Hines told Sports360AZ.com. “[He] is a great ambassador for our football program…everybody likes [Alex]. He’s very likeable. I think these [teammates] would do pretty much anything for him.”
One area Farina is looking to improve this spring is his consistency. He’ll likely benefit from knowing the job is his after being one of three players to take snaps last season.
“I’ve been working on my mechanics and my speed to hopefully increase my versatility as a quarterback,” he explained to Sports360AZ.com before a recent practice. “Ultimately make it benefit us as a team.”
An accurate passer with nice touch on his deep ball Farina has worked to add another dimension to his skill set entering his senior campaign.
“Our defensive coordinator once told me the hardest thing to defend is a quarterback that can run,” he said. “If I’m able to take some defenders out of the play by using my feet it’s going to be unpredictable so I’ve been working a lot on my own to improve that part of my game.”
Hines confirmed they will look to use Farina in more of a duel-threat role this season. The Thunder return a handful of talented skill players to surround their fast-rising quarterback.
“It’s going to be something that I haven’t had the past couple years,” he said of the veteran roster.
He promised a “different Desert Vista football team” this fall.
The pieces are certainly in place.
