Champ Monds threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 67 yards and a score in Vero Beach's 30-30 tie against Norland.
VERO BEACH — Wonderful “Champ” Monds wants to have a total handle of Vero Beach’s offense.
Considering the sophomore quarterback’s performance against state power Miami Norland in the Kickoff Classic on Aug. 15 — 20 of 30 for 275 yards and two touchdowns, 67 rushing yards and a touchdown — it’s hard to imagine what Monds will look like when he achieves it.
“(I’m) trying to understand each play and why (head coach Lenny Jankowski) is calling it,” Monds said following the Kickoff Classic, which Vero Beach and Norland ended in a 30-30 tie. “Once I understand that, I’ll be able to take over the game.
“I’d say I’m doing pretty decent right now. Of course, I’m never going to master it. You’re not going to get perfect, but you definitely want to get as close to perfect as possible.”
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The 6-foot-3, 220-pound Monds is ranked by 247Sports as the No. 11 quarterback in the 2028 class. His offers include Florida, Florida State, Miami, North Carolina, Ohio State, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas A&M, and Monds took unofficial visits to LSU, Notre Dame and Ohio State during the offseason.
Jankowski said as good as Monds was a freshman starter last fall, he’s grown as a player and a leader heading into this season.
“This kind of kid with this kind of talent that is a tireless worker and a great listener, all those things,” Jankowski said. “He finished (the 2024 season) very strong, but the facts are he was a 14-year-old freshman. Fast forward and he’s a 15-year-old sophomore with 14 games under his belt against some pretty stiff competition with a good feel for what defenses are trying to do and what we can do offensively. He’s got a good feel for the players around him.”
When asked what he worked on in the offseason to get better, Monds didn’t talk about anything physical.
He didn’t mention his deep ball, which was on display against Norland. That includes a completion in traffic to UCLA commit Xavier Stinson and another picture-perfect pass along the sideline that slipped off the receiver’s fingertips. Monds didn’t talk about his running ability, which helped the offense pick up several first downs, or making plays in the clutch, which he did by putting Vero Beach in field goal range as time expired.
Monds is focused on the mental side of his game and being able to be that coach on the field that Jankowski covets. And the more he understands, the more it will open up what Monds can do in it.
“Last year, there were times where he was more managing the game and getting the ball out to his playmakers,” Jankowski said. “But now you’re not saying, ‘Take the game over.’ Now it’s, ‘Go and do your thing.’ He’s worked his way into being not just a leader of the offense, but a leader of the team.”
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This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Champ Monds: Vero Beach quarterback throws 2 TDs vs. Miami Norland
Category: General Sports
