Nick SardisOklahoman
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ARDMORE — The Ardmore football program was firmly committed to the flexbone at one point.
Coach Josh Newby implemented the triple-option offense back in 2012 and had lots of success. Opposing defenses struggled to find a solid game plan, and the Tigers ran wild.
But when Cal Swanson took over as the starting quarterback at Ardmore heading into the 2020 season, Newby decided it was time for a change.
The coach knew Swanson was going to be a special player. Newby also knew a different offense would be a better fit for his signal caller’s skillset.
“We went to the state championship game in 2018 in a flexbone offense because we had a quarterback that was a really talented runner and couldn’t throw real well,” Newby said. “But we dropped that offense immediately because we knew we had Cal Swanson on the way, so we went to a spread look to utilize his talents.”
Newby made the right decision.
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Swanson has thrived in the spread and solidified himself as one of the best quarterbacks in Oklahoma last year. An Illinois commit, the 6-foot-3, 185-pounder is No. 19 on The Oklahoman’s Super 30 list of the state’s top 2023 recruits.
“He’s definitely fit for that spread offense,” Newby said. “He’s got a big-time bright future for the University of Illinois.”
Swanson led Ardmore to the Class 5A playoffs last season. He threw for 2,273 yards and 28 touchdowns while completing 70% of his passes. He had just two interceptions and also ran for five scores.
Swanson’s recruitment picked up after the season, and he received an offer from Illinois on May 30. The Rivals three-star prospect announced his commitment on June 6.
Swanson’s only other Division-I offer was from Houston Baptist, which competes in the Football Championship Subdivision.
Swanson probably would’ve gained more interest throughout the summer and during his senior year but was ready to commit after an enjoyable visit.
“It was a really good time at that official visit,” Swanson said. “They fed us good. They did everything right at that official visit. That was really what made my ultimate decision for that.”
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With his decision made, Swanson can focus on having a strong senior season.
“He’s working on his craft all the time,” Newby said. “And therefore, he’s become a very accurate and competitive quarterback. In my opinion, what sets him apart is his accuracy. Last year, he willed us to a couple wins. Just straight willed us.”
Swanson is listed as a pro-style quarterback on most recruiting sites.
Swanson has some wheels though. He competes in track and placed sixth in the 400-meter dash (50.65 seconds) at the Class 5A state meet this year. He was also a part of Ardmore’s 4x200 (1:28.57) and 4x400 (3:23.61) relay teams that placed second.
Swanson’s speed translates on the football field when he’s at quarterback.
“I can really extend plays,” he said. “That’s where I make most of my money because I can extend the plays, create time.”
Newby has been at Ardmore for a while.
He said he hasn’t coached any quarterbacks like Swanson.
“I’ve been at Ardmore High School for 24 years,” Newby said. “He’s the best one. I’ve seen a lot of them come through here. He’s by far the best one.”
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The Oklahoman's 2023 Super 30
Name: Cal Swanson
School: Ardmore
Super 30 ranking: No. 19
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 185 pounds
Position: Quarterback
Committed to: Illinois
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About the series
The Oklahoman’s Super 30 feature series will spotlight each high school football player on the Super 30 recruit rankings for the 2023 class. See No. 18 on the list in Monday’s edition of The Oklahoman. Here are the last five players featured.
No. 23:Chance Wilson, QB, Owasso Rejoice Christian
No. 22: Kanijal Thomas, DB, Del City
No. 21: Kaden Jones, DL, Mustang
No. 20: Jonathan Ashford, OL, Edmond Santa Fe
No. 19: Cal Swanson, QB, Ardmore
Reporter Nick Sardis covers high school sports across the Oklahoma City metro and state. Have a story idea for Nick? He can be reached at nsardis@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @nick_sardis. Support Nick’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at oklahoman.com/subscribe or by using the link at the top of this page.
