Sir Purr
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- Mar 16, 2019
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Lest you think he got preferential treatment, the younger McGuire was the backup quarterback at Cedar Hill High School, a suburban Dallas powerhouse. (Of course, it wasn't always a powerhouse, as Cedar Hill hadn't won a playoff game until Joey McGuire took the job in 2003, but they'd go on to win three state championships in his 14 years there, with a 141-42 record and 12 straight playoff appearances.)
But when Garret got his chance to get into a game, he showed an instinct for play-calling and leadership.
On Sept. 2, 2016, against Mansfield, the Longhorns were down 21 in the fourth quarter, and starting quarterback Avery Davis (who went onto play at Notre Dame) was out with an injury. But McGuire led them back, and with 10 seconds left and no timeouts, he checked to a play not every quarterback would. Instead of throwing for the end zone, he audibled to a handoff to running back Marquise Forman, who scored a game-tying touchdown. The extra point gave them a dramatic comeback win, and the younger McGuire a sense of purpose.
"As a player, for sure, that game changed my life, just from an aspect of confidence, knowing I could go in there and get it done for my family, and by family, I mean my team," he said. "That game for sure, the confidence it gave me, you could tell. I started holding my chest out a little more, felt a lot better about myself."
He still wasn't a starter (most of his high school career was spent as a long snapper, a part-time receiver, and a backup), but his dad pointed out that in three and a half games of relief, his son threw for over 1,000 yards.
And when dad took a job on Rhule's staff at Baylor in 2017 (he's now Dave Aranda's associate head coach), the son followed along as a walk-on.