Montana football commit one of the best dual-threat QBs in Nevada
HENDERSON, Nev. (BVM) 鈥� Daniel Britt鈥檚 spectacular junior campaign nearly didn鈥檛 take place.
During a spring practice drill just months before the 2019 season, the Liberty High School quarterback took an incidental elbow to the face. The blow shattered the entire right side of Britt鈥檚 face, broke his orbital bone and part of his jaw.
Britt initially opted against surgery, but after two months, his face healed completely wrong and was noticeably lopsided. A doctor had to re-break 14 bones in Britt鈥檚 face and probe his eyelid, nose and mouth during a four-hour surgery.
The freakish setback caused Britt to drop to fourth on Liberty鈥檚 quarterback depth chart, and he wasn鈥檛 cleared to play until the week of the 2019 season opener.
鈥淚 got a few reps towards the end of that game, but I鈥檝e never been so scared to play football in my life,鈥� Britt said. 鈥淚 was afraid to get hit there again, but I kind of lost that fear.鈥�
As Britt got more comfortable following his surgery, the Patriots struggled out of the gate. An 0-5 start (including two losses by 30-plus points) prompted the Liberty coaching staff to make a quarterback change.
鈥淭hey (coaches) wanted to change something,鈥� Britt said. 鈥淚 was the only quarterback on our roster that was a dual-threat and they put me in.鈥�
It was a decision that not only changed the Patriots鈥� season, but also the fate of Britt鈥檚 future.
Liberty would not lose another game after its 0-5 start and won its first Class 4A state championship with a dominating 50-7 win over Centennial in the title game. Meanwhile, Britt showcased his dual-threat ability for the remainder of the season on his way to first-team all-state honors.
The signal-caller threw for 2,141 yards and 24 touchdowns to just one interception while completing 77% of his passes. Britt also brought a new dynamic to the Patriots鈥� offense, using his legs to rush for 785 yards and another 10 scores.
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鈥淲hen you can be a dual-threat quarterback like myself, it鈥檚 kind of something special,鈥� Britt said. 鈥淵ou have that cannon (arm talent) and you can be just as fast as a running back. That鈥檚 really something a defense has to game plan for.鈥�
Britt鈥檚 unique skill set is something the University of Montana coaching staff would take extreme interest in, but not right away. It was Britt who first reached out to Montana last December and the all-state quarterback didn鈥檛 hear anything back until June.
鈥淎ll the coaches over there (Montana) were so into me once they finally saw my film,鈥� Britt said. 鈥淭hey called me and had the whole staff on the phone the first day; they were all just so hyped about me. They didn鈥檛 go a day without texting me and I could just tell they were so interested in me.
Britt committed to the Grizzlies in August after receiving offers from Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State and interest from others, a reality that was far-fetched just a year prior.
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鈥淵ou just have to be patient with everything,鈥� Britt said.
Looking ahead to his future in Missoula, Britt hopes to recreate the magic of the Patriots鈥� improbable state title run. His focus lies in one accomplishment.
鈥淎 national championship, for sure,鈥� Britt said. 鈥淣othing less than that.鈥�
