To watch Brycen Marbrey throw the football is a thing of beauty. The Lake Howell quarterback’s throws have been accurately described as effortless, with the way he flicks the ball with such ease. But to an extent, it’s also baffling. How can this lanky kid, all 6-foot-2, 187 pounds of him, deliver the ball with such strength and distance?
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The junior right-hander can be rolling to his left, then plant, turn and fire a pass, with his long, skinny arm, 60 yards downfield and right on the money. With the flick of the wrist he can send a ball more than halfway across a football field.
“Yeah, a lot of college coaches say my motion is fluid and natural and mostly effortless,” Marbrey said. “It’s not like you can train to have that type of arm. That’s why they call it arm talent. I’m just blessed and I use it the right way.
“I get that question a lot. ‘How do you … you got this skinny arm?’ I train for it with my trainer, Coach Anthony Scilliano, and in the gym with my dad, working on rotation drills, all types of things.”
With his talented group of receivers, led by Jayvon Funnyé, and transfers Marcus Morris and Geron Miller, he’s getting results. In a season-opening 57-16 victory over rival Winter Springs, Marbrey threw for 242 yards and 5 touchdowns.
“His arm is lively,” Lake Howell coach Dazzie Morris said. “He’s definitely been a shining light. It’s because of his personality. He’s such a genuine guy and he’s so cool, but on top of that, obviously, he’s talented. One of the best arms I’ve seen as a high school player.”
This was once expected to be Marbrey’s first year at the helm as Lake Mary’s starting quarterback, a reward for waiting in the wings behind standout QB Noah Grubbs, who is now suiting up for Notre Dame. But Marbrey didn’t see it that way.
Marbrey took a chance on himself, took a chance on a new program and he and his family decided it was best for him to create his own path. Before his sophomore season, Marbrey transferred to Lake Howell, and the move seems to have suited him quite well.
As a sophomore, he threw for 2,100 yards and 26 touchdowns.
“Me and Coach Perry and Coach Donnelly had some great conversations, and I talked to my dad and stuff,” Marbrey said of Lake Mary head coach Scott Perry and offensive coordinator Adam Donnelly. “The plan for me just wasn’t exactly ideal and I just wanted to move on to what has been, better things for me.
“Coach Morris has done a great job. He’s by far one of my favorite coaches. We have a special relationship.”
Making the decision to leave Lake Mary and get on the field a year earlier has obviously been beneficial.
“It helped a bunch,” Marbrey said. “When I came in, I didn’t know a lot of the guys. Now I feel like I’m in a true family and all of the relationships are established now, with the coaches and everyone, and even people around school, the security guards and the AD. I’m in the family now.”
Morris speaks highly of his QB.
“The talent part is what it is, but as a person, he’s even better. Kids flock to him. They want to play alongside him. He’s always thinking about others before himself,” Morris said.
Lake Howell has had great ones before. Brandon Marshall, Kawika Mitchell and Christian Jones all had lengthy NFL careers.
“He’ll go down in history here,” Morris said. “He still has work to do and he has to continue to grow, but he’ll definitely sketch his name in the books if he keeps on the same path he’s on now.”
Morris came to Lake Howell two years ago, and with Marbrey’s arrival last year, has breathed some fire into the program, which missed the playoffs by one game last year, going 6-4. A season-ending loss to arch-rival Winter Springs ended the Silverhawks season. That’s why Friday’s blowout felt so good.
“That was a pretty bad loss at the end of the season. Not just because it was our rivals and we don’t ever lose to them, but it kicked us out of the playoffs and put them in the playoffs,” Marbrey said. “It was almost set up perfectly because Week 1 (this year) we were able to get out there and handle business.”
The last time Lake Howell made the playoffs was 2007 and it has only been in the playoffs twice in the past 30 years. The Silverhawks have a huge game this Friday. Lake Howell, ranked No. 16 in the Sentinel’s Super 16 Coaches Poll, will host perennial powerhouse Seminole in a highly anticipated county battle.
“It’s a very exciting game for us to show what we can do,” Marbrey said. “I know in the past couple of years Lake Howell hasn’t been that super football program. But last year I think we turned some heads with our offense. This year we have a way harder schedule and I would say that’s setting us up for success.
“We’re playing a good team and if we win, it’s gonna be a great win.”
Morris knows this game provides a big opportunity.
“I think it’s big because a lot of the kids know each other, and, as far as the history, Lake Howell’s varsity football teams just have not played Seminole, for whatever reason. Maybe they didn’t feel like they could play with them,” Morris said. “Seminole is a great football team. My goal is for this Lake Howell football program is to be good, and in order to be good, you gotta play good teams.”
The Silverhawks lost eight in a row vs. the ‘Noles from 2008 through 2018 and haven’t played Seminole since.
It’s exciting times for Lake Howell football.
“I feel great. We have a chance to prove this idea we have and what it looks like to be on the come-up,” Marbrey said. “I’m excited to make that true and possible and really establish us.”
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Chris Hays can be found on X.com @OS_ChrisHays.