※ 2020 ESPN Football Top Prospects -> Quarterbacks: Dual-Threat
Rk – No.01: Dwayne Moi Stone Hometown: Paia, HI / Kahuku HS.
HT: 6'1" (186 cm) WT: 214 lbs (97 kg)
GRADE: ★★★★★(100)
SCHOOL: UNCOMMITTED
Comment: Traditionally, most freshmen receive a score between 50 and 60, but Dwayne Moi Stone is an exception.
As the first freshman in this publication's history to receive a perfect score, Dwayne Moi Stone has been under the national spotlight since the age of eight. Before starting football, he set monumental records in track and field, baseball, and swimming.
While he has yet to prove himself on a football field, the consensus is clear: based on his sheer potential, the No. 1 spot in the 2020 recruiting rankings belongs to this Hawaiian boy.
Scouting Report: N/A (No prior football game history)
# August 12, 2016
#-1. Honolulu CDP, Hawaii
#-2. Leilehua High School
#-3. Football Field
Wahiawa, which means "place of noise" or "space between the Wa people," is a town with a population of just over 17,000. Surrounded by two military bases, it is mostly visited by those heading to golf courses or wineries.
But today, football officials from the mainland have descended upon Leilehua High School in the heart of the city. College scouts. Pro scouts. A staggering 178 scouts—amateur and professional alike—boarded planes to Hawaii just to see one boy.
Representatives from traditional powerhouses like Clemson, Stanford, and Ohio State were there. Even officials from Alabama, last year's NCAA Division 1 Champions with a 14-1 record, watched the field through sunglasses from the sidelines.
Among them was NickSaban, widely regarded as the best college football coach in America.
"He's big," Saban remarked as he caught his first glimpse of Dwayne Moi Stone. The boy was larger than most linebackers.
"You can see why people classify him as a dual-threat, can't you?" replied Jacob Hallman, an Alabama scout.
"The passing is one thing, but I'm looking forward to his running."
"I don't blame you. With a frame like that..." "By the way..."
"Yes?"
"Whistle—look at this crowd."
"Everyone's here. Media, colleges, pros. I've never seen anything like this."
Everywhere they looked, faces mirrored the same expression: excitement mixed with high expectations.
"I hope he doesn't disappoint," Saban said. "Shouldn't we consider it's his first game?" "He needs to show us a spark, Jacob. We aren't expecting perfection. He has four years ahead of him. I want to see what he can develop into."
While they talked, representatives from other universities were visibly tense. Alabama's dominance wasn't just due to Saban's brilliant tactics; it was his unparalleled recruiting. Even in a year considered weak for quarterbacks, Saban had managed to snatch Jalen Hurts from Channelview, Texas.
"Saban came personally?"
"Damn it. What is our head coach even doing?"
"Who would've thought he'd fly all the way to Hawaii?"
As all eyes moved between Saban and Moi, the Kahuku High School players, dressed in red, gathered. The scouts momentarily forgot about recruiting to witness a unique cultural display found only in Hawaiian football.
The away stands erupted.
"EKE-!! AKE-!!"
"HI!!!"
▷ 1Q – 15:00 Leilehua: 0 Kahuku: 0
Football starts with a coin toss. The away team chooses heads or tails. Once possession and sides are decided, we start with a Kickoff. From the 35-yard line of the kicking team, everything begins.
Thump!
The ball soared high into the air. I watched from the sidelines next to the coach. We have a specialist for this: Sekope Latu, a junior. The ball landed near the opponent's end zone. The coach clapped in approval.
"Nice."
To explain his reaction: a kickoff shouldn't go past the end zone. If it does, it's a "touchback," and the offense automatically starts at the 25-yard line. By pinning them deep, we forced them to start from just under the 20-yard line.
I've always wondered why we use yards, ounces, and pounds instead of the more intuitive metric system. I suppose it's the British colonial influence. Anyway...
After the good kick, our defense took the field. Coach Travis's voice got busy.
"Their right side is weak. Let's pressure them from the start. Go with a Blitz. Make them worry about the right, then have Lenex target a sack from the left."
There are two main on-field play-callers in football: the Quarterback (QB) for offense and the Middle Linebacker (MLB) for defense. Sioele Huamatu took the instructions and signaled to the defense.
The plan was simple: hunt the quarterback. By threatening the right side of the Leilehua offensive line, we drew their attention, allowing our outside linebacker to loop around for the tackle.
The play started, and we successfully sacked the opposing quarterback. We didn't strip the ball, but we pushed them back 7 yards. A massive defensive success.
I hate to admit it, but Sioele Huamatu is the real deal—at least at this division level. His split-second decision-making and command over the defense were impressive. Ultimately, Leilehua only managed to reach the 28-yard line—a net gain of only 6 yards. They even tried a FakePunt at the last second out of desperation, but they failed to get the first down.
Talk about guts. Or maybe they just didn't trust their kicker.
The personnel swapped. It was my turn.
"I won't pressure you from the start," Coach Travis said.
"Yes, sir."
"Just show me what we practiced."
"Oorah."
I ran onto the field. This was the first time since my senior year of high school in my past life. It had been roughly 43 years. The roar of the crowd and the specific tension of the gridiron made the hair on my arms stand up.
This is it. This is the feeling.
There are beasts on the other side waiting to devour me. One lapse in concentration, and I'll experience physical pain that would traumatize an ordinary person. But I couldn't hide my smile.
.
(Gus Johnson) - Fox Sports Commentator:
"And here he is. Dwayne Moi Stone. He's had national attention for years, but his actual football ability has been shrouded in mystery. After all, this is his first-ever football game. Let's see what he's got."
.
Now, we had to take their territory. We were starting at their 28-yard line. Cross the goal line, and we score. But in football, even one yard is hard-earned. Sometimes destiny is decided by inches.
I huddled the offense. Ten men plus me. The basic offensive set is five linemen and one quarterback. That 5-1 core almost never changes. The other five spots create the team's identity: Running Backs (RB), Tight Ends (TE), and Wide Receivers (WR).
We lined up in a 1-2-2 formation (1 RB, 2 TE, 2 WR). It was a safe, balanced set meant to ease me in.
"Hey, fake Samoan. You nervous?" Loto Huamatu taunted as we broke the huddle. "Hey!" Cameron snapped back, but I held him back. I wasn't rattled at all.
"Let's start with a Trap," I commanded.
"Oh—going for something that standard?" "Hahaha."
"I'm just making sure you guys are warmed up so you don't hold me back later. Also, I need to see what you're capable of."
Football teams love a cocky quarterback. That arrogance translates to confidence. If a quarterback looks weak, the offensive line collapses.
"Their left-side defenders are a freshman and a sophomore. Jerome, set the trap. Stennett, stay left. Pua, run from the right. Their left linebacker will bite. You guys got that?" "Oorah."
"Okay, Let's Go! Let's smash them!" "OORAH!!"
A Trap play involves sending a guard across the formation to surprise a defender. It creates a temporary numerical advantage to open a lane for the running back. I put my strongest blocking tight end on the left to cover the gap.
I stood behind Loto. Leilehua's defense reacted to Pua's motion. I saw the left linebacker hesitate and barked out the signals.
"45!! 28!!"
The numbers a quarterback shouts are like Morse code, helping teammates visualize the snap count and defensive alignment. Then, I gave the command.
"HUT!!"
I took the snap and turned. Cameron (the RB) ran toward me. We executed a handoff—or so it seemed to the defense. The lane opened exactly as planned, and Cameron burst through.
Thud!
Cameron was tackled, but we gained 6.5 yards on the first play.
.
(Gus Johnson): "Kahuku gains about six yards. Solid start, though Dwayne Moi Stone hasn't had to do much yet."
.
Immediately, I signaled the bench for a personnel change. My mind was flooded with dozens of strategies to score, but we hadn't practiced them all yet, and it was too early to show my full hand. To the world, I'm a novice. I need to prove I can execute the team's standard playbook perfectly first—at least until the coach trusts me enough to listen to my suggestions.
One tight end swapped out for another wide receiver. I was going to try a pass.
"This time, it's a Shotgun."
"Ooh—going for the heat already?"
"I'm going to burn them. You linemen have to hold. If anyone gets through, you're dead. Wide receivers, line up on the weak side. I'll fake to Cam, then look your way. Run the routes like we practiced. I'm putting the ball right in the end zone."
The Shotgun is a classic. Specifically, I called a ShotgunTrips variation. Normally, the tight end would stay back to block, but I wanted to test myself. This setup protects the front but makes me vulnerable to the linebacker. I'd have only seconds before he closed in. Could I get the pass off? In my past life, it would have been impossible. At Columbia, I realized my talent capped out at being a backup college QB.
But now...
.
(Gus Johnson): "Will we see something impressive here? Dwayne Moi Stone takes his position in the shotgun."
.
Armed with the experience of a pro coach and the physical gifts of this new life, I shouted with everything I had.
"50!! 22!!"
"...."
"HUT!!"
I dropped back, eyes on the running back. Cam brushed past me again. But this time, it was a play-action fake. I kept the ball, let him run through the line, and spun around.
The WeakSide was wide open. That was the whole point of the fake. Three receivers were streaking toward the end zone. I spotted the one with the most separation.
The trajectory drew itself in my mind. Speed of the receiver. Speed of the ball. Wind. Power. My body performed the motion I had practiced millions of times.
The ball left my hand. A split second later, a massive impact rocked my world.
CRUNCH!
"Urgh!"
As I hit the turf, a realization struck me. In middle school, three kids couldn't take me down. Now, a single tackle leveled me. The linebacker who hit me was 6'2", 267 lbs, and could run a 40-yard dash in 4.7 seconds. At this level, that kind of momentum is unstoppable.
It hurt. It burned. But...
'This is the one.'
For some reason, I was laughing. Even as I tasted the turf, I heard it.
"---!!!"
"--!!"
A massive roar from the crowd. Which side was cheering? Home? Away? I shoved the defender off me and sat up. In the distance, I saw a teammate standing in the end zone with the ball in his hands.