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By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

During the summer, there were a handful of players competing to be Troup High’s starting quarterback.

As the days and weeks went along, it became clear to the coaches that one player stood above the rest.

Although Taeo Todd had never taken a snap on the high-school level, Troup head coach Tanner Glisson believed he had what it took to succeed, despite his inexperience.

Glisson was proven right.

While there were a few bumps in the road, Todd enjoyed a massively successful freshman season while helping lead Troup to the state playoffs.

Todd was a true two-way threat who ran for nearly 1,500 yards in 11 games, and he also had more than 700 passing yards, and he had a combined 16 touchdowns.

Todd’s good work didn’t go unrecognized.

On Friday morning, the Touchdown Club of Atlanta announced its Little Peach awards, given to the top freshman, sophomores and juniors in the state, and Todd was named the freshman of the year.

An official with the organization called Glisson with the news on Friday morning, and he let Todd know he’d won.

Glisson said that Todd, whose even-keel demeanor serves him well as a quarterback, responded in his typical low-key fashion.

“It was two simple words. Thank you,” Glisson said. “He’s all business, and doesn’t do a whole lot of talking. He does a whole lot of playing.”

During a normal summer, Todd would have been able to participate in camps, seven-on-seven games, and full-contact scrimmages, but none of that took place because of Covid-19 restrictions.

Also, Troup’s two scheduled preseason games were called off.

Despite that, Todd was ready to roll when the season began, and he threw for 130 yards and ran for 52 yards in the season the opener against Harris County.

After Troup lost its first three games, Todd had a breakout performance in a 42-0 victory over Spencer in the Region 2-AAAA opener.

Todd ran for nearly 300 yards with two touchdowns to help Troup earn its first win of the season.

Todd and the Tigers were off and rolling from there.

Beginning with the Spencer game, Troup won six in a row, with Todd putting up massive numbers week after week.

In the region-championship game against Carver on the final week of the regular season, Todd was brilliant, running for 160 yards with two touchdowns, although Troup lost a 42-35 heart-breaker.

The following week in the first round of the playoffs against Benedictine, Todd ran for 65 yards and threw for 46 yards in a 42-35 loss.

As dynamic a player as Todd was, Glisson believes the best is yet to come.

“There’s a lot of room to grow,” Glisson said. “There’s some things he can do in the passing game that are going to surprise some people. We’re just tickled to death, and glad to have him for three more years.”

Todd received some other big news as well on Friday when he received an official offer from Georgia Tech.

“They called me this morning and said they’ve been watching, and they wanted to go ahead and offer him,” Glisson said. “They offered him as an athlete. It’s exciting news.”