After a long-awaited varsity football season, fans were shocked when starting junior quarterback, Clayton Grace, got a season-ending knee injury in the first game of the season. Backup quarterback and sophomore, Brady Weingart, was rushed into a nail-biter against Tamalpais High School halfway through the game.

“I thought to myself, ‘I gotta get in there.’ I didn’t have time to think about the moment or doubt myself, I had the next-man-up mentality [that our] coach preached all year and the adrenaline took over,” Weingart said.

Weingart led the team to a win during the first game of the season with a final record of 3-2. When head coach Allen Talley was asked about Weingart, he had high praise.

“Brady’s a good kid, [he] doesn’t say too much in practices, he is always focused on the moment,” Talley said.

Coach Talley was also proud of his team for fighting through adversity. 

“We had limited practice time, and a lot of injuries so we had to have guys step up and have a lot of sophomores playing. Brady had some big shoes to fill but he has handled himself very well.” 

He also brought up the fact that Weingart never let mistakes bother him and he is very good at not dwelling over the past.

Coach Allen Talley made sure Weingart felt comfortable with all the plays and drills during practices, which helped Weingart feel as prepared as possible despite the circumstances. Talley noted the difficulty to come in on short notice and perform how Weingart did, as he didn’t let the heat of the moment distract him. 

“I really [had] no time to think about the heads turning my way,” Weingart said. “We [were] just trying to take it one game at a time [while] having each other’s backs.” 

He was extremely focused on this season and was not phased by the ambitious goals and expectations of others; even when everyone’s attention was directed on how he would conduct the offense.

Still, the reality of being the starting quarterback never completely set in for Weingart. Having his teammates and coaches around him helped Weingart settle into the role of the starting quarterback. 

Weingart’s humility reflects his thanks to his team and coaches just to have the opportunity. Especially after winning the first game against rival Tam, Weingart described the winning feeling as “like a movie.” The adrenaline pushed him through that game and his ability to stay in the moment allowed him to throw the winning touchdown. 

Sam Janowsky, Weingart’s teammate and childhood friend, believes Weingart has really grown into his leadership role. 

“Brady leads by example, he doesn’t mess around during practice, he’s focused,” Janowsky said. “That energy helps everyone get better on the field.” 

Janowsky believes that Weingart has learned a lot from the experience of stepping up into such an important position last minute. 

Led by Weingart, Redwood varsity football finished the season with three wins and two losses, for the shortened season. The whole team faced adversity, from injuries affecting key players like the original starting quarterback, Grace, to not being able to watch film together. Despite these hardships, they rallied for a solid season and Weingart gained experience that will help him for many years to come.