We tried to raise a pastor, but we got a quarterback: How scheme and sincerity led 2020 commit ·

19 Jun 2024, 00:00

GRAPEVINE, Texas — Outside a brick, single-family dwelling in the upper middle of the football-factory Metroplex flies a black flag with a TigerHawk logo.

The Dallas Cowboys, numerous Texas universities and swarms of high school teams rule this region, yet near the driveway, a symbol from a Big Ten school 850 miles away stands tall in this quaint neighborhood. The home belongs to the Hogan family.

Kris Hogan can trace his ancestry six generations to Edward B. Hogan, who brought his family to Texas from Tennessee nearly 200 years ago. Amy Hogan’s Texas roots span just as far. With rustic décor, a glass of sweet tea and Bible verses on the walls, Southern hospitality comes naturally to the Hogans, who treat every visitor like family.

Behind the living room and next to a verse from the book of Joshua sits the room of high school senior Deuce Hogan. If a moviemaker wanted to cast a star quarterback, Deuce would fit the description. His blond, wavy hair parts from right to left. He stands 6-foot-4 and weighs about 210 pounds. He displays a charming smile and radiates confidence. Nearly half of a bedroom wall is covered with hand-written letters from Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz, along with photos and other notes from the Hawkeyes’ staff. Above his window is a poster of Kinnick Stadium with the stands striped in black and gold. Hogan has been committed to Iowa for nearly 18 months and he plans to sign his letter of intent on Wednesday.

(Photo: Scott Dochterman / The Athletic)

On a shelf sits a state championship Wilson football with black laces. On one white stripe it reads “DEUCE.” The other is marked “4th + 17.” It’s a story within a story within a story. The football has been retired, yet it’s the most famous one in Deuce Hogan’s collection. It was used in the most important play in Grapevine Faith Christian football history.

“That was a pretty big moment,” Deuce said.

If ever a single snap could define a career and shape a legacy, it was fourth-and-17. Grapevine Faith Christian faced Austin Regents and trailed by seven points in the 2016 TAPPS (Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools) Division II state championship game. It was overtime and Grapevine Faith battled the state’s top-ranked defense.

In 20-plus years of coaching Texas high school football, Kris Hogan played only one freshman on varsity for an entire season, and it was his son, Deuce. He was too good to hold back, and Deuce was worthy of his position.

In that desperate moment, facing fourth down and 50 feet, they chatted briefly and Deuce walked back on the field.

“I grab his arm, I pull him back and he said, ‘I know, Dad,’” Kris recalled. “‘Slide left, look off the safety.’ And he just walked off, calm as could be. He gets the ball, he slides to the left, looks off the safety and throws a 32-yard touchdown pass.

“You can imagine what the stadium was doing. I’ll never forget him jogging over to the sideline. People are just jumping on him and even assistant coaches are jumping. Fourth-and-17, you don’t expect much, much less a touchdown. And he’s like, ‘Everybody, calm down. We’ve got double overtime here.’ He acts like we’re sitting here drinking tea or something.”

Deuce’s 32-yard touchdown pass to Jake Mitchell tied the score. In double overtime, both teams scored touchdowns but Grapevine Faith thwarted Austin Regents’ 2-point conversion attempt for a 30-29 victory for a state title.

At Grapevine Faith, “fourth-and-17” provided a thrilling exclamation point to its only championship season. For Deuce Hogan, it served as a launching point for a tremendous high school career.

“He’s a natural born leader,” teammate and friend Pierce Froberg said. “If he says something, we’re going to go all in with him. And he’s been that way since I’ve known him.”

Born to be a QB

Kristopher Joseph “Deuce” Hogan arrived on gameday, as his parents like to say. His father coached at Sacred Heart Catholic School in Muenster, Texas and wife, Amy, gave birth in the early afternoon on Oct. 20, 2000. Kris put the first diaper on his newborn son and he tended to his wife. But something unspoken lingered, and Amy recognized it.

“We’re sitting there and at 3:30 Amy says, ‘Well, you have a game. You’d better go,” Kris said. “Of course, her mom and my mom are looking at me like, ‘Don’t you dare go to a football game.’ So we put that off. A couple hours later she says, ‘I don’t know, maybe you should go to the game. It’s a pretty big game.’”

The uncomfortable banter continued.

“I have always been my husband’s biggest fan, and we already had a daughter,” Amy said. “So when Deuce was born, I’m still Kris’ biggest fan, and it’s gameday. Because it was my second child, I wasn’t worried about the baby or my health. It was like, we’ve been here before and he was so sweet. He was, you know, fussing over me and checking on me and just hovering sort of like a good husband.

“About 3 o’clock rolls around, and it’s time for pregame meal. He’s sort of pacing a little bit at the foot of the bed. And I said, ‘Coach, you get out of here.’ He was like, ‘Oh, no, no, I would never dare.’ I was like ‘You better go win a football game.’”

Kris left the hospital, and his father bought Amy a small radio so she could listen to the game. As he approached the field, Kris recalled walking up a concrete ramp on a rainy night. He was flooded with emotion. Along with daughter, Jerilyn, he now had a son. Amy wanted their son to have Kris’ full name, but the coach was reluctant. They agreed to call him Deuce, rather than Junior or the Second, because “it has to be a PA friendly name.”

“The first day he came home from the hospital, I grabbed him under the arms,” Kris recalled. “I put him down like he was taking a snap, and I literally said, ‘Deuce Hogan under center, he’s back to pass.’ Of course, he’s flopping. My mom and her mom did not think this was funny. They did not like it a bit. And I said, ‘We’re raising a quarterback here.’”

Deuce’s hand-eye coordination surprised his parents at a young age. As he grew, Deuce became the best athlete in every sport. He dominated in basketball and baseball. As a freshman in high school, he ran the 400-meter dash in 50 seconds.

Sport specialization takes place early in Texas, and Deuce made his decision in eighth grade. Grapevine Faith’s starting quarterback planned to transfer, and the job was open. Deuce needed to gain weight before his father would consider him for the job. Even then, the coach let the competition go on too long.

“All of the coaches were on board, and I was the last holdout on the coaching staff, to be honest with you,” Kris said. “But I knew it was the right thing for the overall good of that particular team. We had a very dominant group of seniors. In fact, they told him you better not screw this up. And after the first game, everybody was all in.”

(Photo: Amy Headington / Images of Grace)

“In Week 2 or 3, we played Brock High School and they’re a public school, and they are a perennial powerhouse,” Deuce said. “In the middle of the first quarter, we call kind of a rollout to my right, and I threw a backside wheel. I threw a good ball, and our kid took it like 66 (yards) to the house. When people ask me, that was one of the defining moments. That’s when everybody was like, ‘This kid can play in big games.’”

Introduction to Iowa

Grapevine Faith is one of the few high schools that still regularly employs a tight end. Kris Hogan operates a pro-style offense that’s more complicated than many of his competitors’ one-read pass offenses. It’s designed perfectly for Deuce, whose best assets are his football acumen and his passing ability.

Four years ago, Kris sat in his home and the Big Ten championship game appeared on his television. Ranked No. 4 and 12-0 was Iowa, the home team. The opponent was No. 5 Michigan State (11-1). Deuce walked in the room early in the fourth quarter, and a play caught his attention.

“He said, ‘Dad, if I were to be good enough to play college football, what college do I fit the best at?’” Kris said. “I said, ‘Well, actually, probably that black team.’ He goes, ‘What? I would never play at Iowa.’ This is what he says to me as an eighth-grader. And I said, ‘How do you know?’ He said, ‘Iowa, a bunch of Yankees,’ and he’s just messing with me.”

Deuce recalled their exchange more for what happened on television.

“Just an everyday conversation we would have and he said, ‘Right there might be a good (fit),’” Deuce said. “I kind of looked at the TV, and C.J. Beathard threw a bomb. I was like, ‘Maybe.’ That was like a very clear memory.”

Two years later — and two years ago — Deuce Hogan became a passing sensation in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, both for his high school exploits and what he accomplished in the 7-on-7 circuit. Louisiana Tech quarterbacks coach Tim Rattay, who now coaches with the Washington Redskins, provided Deuce with his first offer. Other coaches traveled to Grapevine Faith for workouts, and each time Deuce landed another offer.

One day, the Hogans received a call from Iowa quarterbacks coach Ken O’Keefe. He wanted to watch Deuce work out. O’Keefe sent the family mixed signals afterward.

“He left me very curious,” Deuce said. “He didn’t give a lot of information away. A couple days before he came, Oklahoma State had just offered. Things were really starting to pick up. So he comes and watches me throw. He says, ‘All right, I’ll give you a call soon and shakes my hand.’ When he left, I was kind of like, ‘I guess I didn’t impress him.’”

“Iowa is slow in the way they do things, which is actually smart,” Kris said. “They’re very thorough. So Ken O’Keefe leaves, calls me, asks me about four or five very pointed questions. Doesn’t get back to me until three or four days later. So, it’s been eight, nine days. In the meantime, everybody who flies in, watches the workout and offers him on the spot. Oklahoma State. Everybody flew in or drove in. Finally, O’Keefe texts me and said, ‘I’d like to drop by the school. Your son is going to be offered a scholarship by the most respected coach in college football.’ And there were some pictures on the text and a picture of Kirk Ferentz.”

The mood changed significantly when O’Keefe offered Deuce. The longtime assistant was upbeat, and the Hogans were appreciative. Iowa provided the quarterback with yet another opportunity to play college football.

“At the time, it wasn’t more attractive than Georgia or Oklahoma State by any means,” Deuce said. “This is the South. This is where I was raised. I just knew it was a quality offer.”

“When they offered Deuce, he gave coach O’Keefe a big handshake in the hall,” Kris said. “And Coach O’Keefe leaves. Well, at lunch, Deuce texts me and said, ‘Can you talk, dad?’ So I walk over there and he goes, ‘From a system standpoint, Iowa is better than all the offers that I have right now.’ And I said, ‘Hmm-hmm.’ He said, ‘Schematically, they’re the best.’ And I said, ‘Yes, they are.’ And he said, ‘I think this is a big-time offer,’ and he’s not talking about in prestige. He’s saying a big-time offer to where I would fit great. ‘They would help develop me, and I would be the guy that could run their stuff for them at a high level.’ He’s telling me this as a 10th grader.”

‘He never gets nervous’

Deuce Hogan’s four-year statistics are strong but not eye-popping. He has 100 career touchdown passes and 30 interceptions. He has thrown for 8,192 yards at a 52.8 completion percentage. But with Deuce, his impact stretches far beyond the numbers.

“He has such a mature mindset when it comes to his approach to the game,” Froberg said. “There’s never a time when he thinks we’re going to lose. In his eyes, we’re always going to win the game. We were down 21-0 against Canadian this year, and I remember seeing him on the sideline and he was like, ‘We’re fine. We’re fine. We expected this.’ He never gets nervous. He’s never out of his element.”

“Obviously, there are times when he does mess up,” Grapevine Faith offensive lineman Trevor McNealy sad. “But for me, I never assume that he is the one messing up. I’m just that confident in his abilities.”

That goes for his head coach, too. During his quarterback’s freshman year, Kris told Deuce dozens of times during one game week to never check out of a certain call. It was a data-driven decision, the opponent had a blitz planned and Deuce needed to throw a specific route.

In the game, Grapevine Faith was pinned at its 13-yard line on the right hashmark. Kris sent in the play because he expected the blitz package.

“He walks up to the line of scrimmage and he looks around and he starts doing this yelling,” Kris said. “The guys upstairs go, ‘Oh my gosh, he’s changing the play.’ I’m about to stroke out on the sideline. It’s a state game, and I told him don’t change. Not only does he change the play, he changes it from a pass play to a run play. Quarterbacks usually don’t do that, especially young ones. He runs the ball into the boundary, tosses the ball into their boundary to (Faith’s) best player. So, when they snap the ball and I saw it was developing, I was just like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ Kid goes around the corner for 70.

“Of course, our sidelines are sprinting down. They’re on the opposite sideline and I’m heading that way because of the next play. He jogs over right and when he gets within earshot. He was, ‘Dad, I’m sorry. They were misaligned.’”

(Photo: Amy Headington / Images of Grace)

Deuce’s ability to pick up concepts and read defenses bought him equity within the offense. By his senior year, he called the team’s plays on third-and-long.

“He’s always confident with what he says and doesn’t really matter what he actually thinks about it,” McNealy said. “If he says something, I know he means it and he says it with confidence. I know he’s genuine about it. I think that’s why I look up to him as a leader, personally.”

Deuce’s favorite memory came this year at Caddo Mills. Opposing defenders talked trash to him the entire game. With the score tied 29-29 and two minutes remaining, Deuce threw his fourth touchdown pass of the game — this one for 78 yards to Lex Boucvalt — in a 35-29 victory.

“We were the villains, like everybody in the stadium was rooting against us,” he said. “We were little private-school underdogs, and it was their homecoming. Their whole town had shown up.

“That’s as comfortable as I get. I really think that I was created to be put in a pressure chamber and be able to influence people through that. I love the big moments. I love the loudest crowds, the student sections that hate me the most. The biggest games. I couldn’t think of a better situation to be in.”

Committing to Iowa

Before the summer of 2017, the Hogan family traveled north to visit campuses. It included stops at Oklahoma State, Iowa State and Iowa.

Deuce investigated Iowa and liked it. The Hawkeyes use a pro-style offense that suits his skill set. It has a long-tenured coach with character and stability. Iowa regularly sends players to the NFL and has a low offer rate. Some schools recruiting him issued offers to double-digit numbers of quarterbacks. Iowa had only offered him. It checked every one of Deuce’s boxes.

“Except mama’s box, because mom is a fifth-generation Texan,” Amy said. “Iowa is not in Texas.

“We were out there evaluating, comparing campuses and locations and all of it. We really were going to Iowa to just make sure it wasn’t the place, just check it off the list and then continue our journey.”

It was during that visit where life changed for the Hogans. They expected a low-key atmosphere, in part because of the way O’Keefe was poker-faced on his initial visit. “‘This is going to be really dull,’” Amy thought to herself.

“The first thing we did when we walked in the facility, coach O’Keefe bounded down the steps and he’s talking to me, and he’s telling jokes and I’m like, ‘Oh, this is going to be a lot more fun than we expected,’” Amy said. “It literally happened right away. The energy was different. The whole environment was so different than what we expected and different than what we had experienced all the way there.

“The staff was sincere. You really felt the authenticity of what they were saying.”

Conversations with Iowa’s staff “were very genuine,” Deuce said. He sat down with Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley for more than 30 minutes and their candid and transparent conversation was inspiring. The only negative Stanley relayed was his description of 5:30 a.m. workouts.

(Photo: Deuce Hogan / Twitter)

By the time the family entered the vehicle, they were inspired by what they witnessed. It was quiet, then Deuce’s younger brother, Zeke, piped up.

“When we got in the car and Zeke said, ‘I guess Iowa is where you’re going to go,’” Amy said. “I didn’t want those words to pass through my teeth. Oh, I was so scared of it.”

The whiteboard sessions with O’Keefe stood out. Deuce was so advanced in reading coverage, he diagrammed all possible quarters beaters for his potential coaching staff. The family knew the fit was nearly perfect, but the distance made Amy nervous.

“I know it’s the best place but because it’s not in the South, I had to get past that,” Amy said. “It’s not Texas. It’s not A&M, you know? But I have such peace about it. I have no doubt the people are great. I know that I can be there in two hours and five minutes on an airplane. The drive was even easy, really. I mean, it’s 12 hours, but it’s not a hard drive and we’ve driven it twice.”

Deuce committed to Iowa on June 29, 2018, two months before his junior football season. He carried offers from Georgia, Oklahoma State, Baylor and several other schools. Yet Iowa was the place for him.

“When you’re ready to make the decision, then why wait?” Deuce said.

Recruiting continues

Opposing staffs understand Deuce has remained committed to Iowa for 18 months. He plans to sign with Iowa on Wednesday but not arrive on campus until June. He considered enrolling early, but Iowa’s staff recommended he enjoy his entire senior year. It was a relief to both Deuce and his parents.

Deuce’s decision failed to deter many of the colleges from recruiting him. With only days remaining until signing day, coaches traveled daily to Grapevine Faith. The letters still pour into Kris Hogan’s office and text messages constantly interrupt his day. It’s just the same for Deuce.

Coaches try to avoid negative statements about Iowa and remain positive about their own situations.

“The message I get a lot is if you change your mind at last minute or if you want to stay closer to home … that kind of stuff,” Deuce said. “I just say thank you. I just appreciate it. There’s some controversy when I posted the offers. Other people got upset, and I don’t understand why I wouldn’t give thanks to God, an SEC university or Baylor. I mean, they’re awesome people. They are trying to do what’s best for their program. Every scholarship opportunity is a blessing.

“I’ve been solid with the Hawks for a long time, and everybody knows. It’s very clear.”

If you ain’t with us you’re against us…

something is brewing in Iowa City 💛🖤 #Swarm pic.twitter.com/rZw2dX8mu3

— Deuce Hogan (@_DeuceHogan__) June 23, 2019

That hasn’t stopped staffs from trying to change his mind, however. Georgia planned to land a helicopter at the Grapevine Faith 50-yard line but the school’s proximity to DFW airport prevented the stunt from taking place. Georgia offensive coordinator James Coley told Deuce he could play right away as a true freshman. Oklahoma State’s staff told Deuce he could throw it 50 times a game. Baylor is “not giving up,” Kris said, “and they’re literally 80 minutes that way (south).”

In reality, Deuce believes redshirting might help him develop physically and become “a better version of myself,” he told Coley.

“He’s endured all of this stuff and has stuck true to what he believes is the best scheme fit,” Kris said. “I think you should guide your kids, but at some point in time they have to own things in their life. He’s owning the process. So he has literally owned becoming a Hawkeye.”

“He is a kid who was raised that your word is your bond. It’s really old school. That would be really out of character if he were to change his decision now. But he also still really believes in the fit of Iowa. So it’s a combination of both those things.”

Deuce would change his stance only if Ferentz left the school. He scoffs at some of the negative recruiting, which he classified as minor and targeted Iowa for having a good, but not elite, program. He described others as “car salesmen.” One group of coaches wore Rolex watches. On a visit to an SEC school, Deuce’s chaperone had similar features to his high school girlfriend, which he believed was intentional.

“I would much rather go and win a Big Ten title with Iowa than I would somebody else,” Deuce said. “I can’t ask for anything more than the opportunity. So I think at Iowa, I’m going to go to a university where I’m wanted. They’re going to have a big O-line. They will have a great defense. I’m going to have an awesome coach. We’re in a pro-style offense with a great run game, usually. What else can I ask for?”

All about accountability

For all that Iowa can give Deuce, he plans to reciprocate with his integrity. He enjoys time with his friends, which includes taking their money playing poker and hanging out at lake houses. But his spiritual side is the most important part of his life, and he strives to play football like Tim Tebow.

“He literally would wear his Scripture under his eyes and just rip somebody’s head off,” Deuce said. “That’s awesome. That’s how fiery I want to be. I love Tebow. I don’t play like him at all, but I love how he plays.”

Deuce is musically inclined and can play the piano, the guitar and the drums. His friends joke about his rapping skills, which he showcased during a skit during team camp their first summer at Grapevine Faith. McNealy said at a birthday party one night, Deuce had everybody in stitches.

“He tries to act like he’s not a goofball,” Froberg said, “but he is sometimes.”

But when it’s time to get serious — on or off the turf — Deuce does so. He and five of his closest friends formed an accountability group. The depth of their conversations is rare for teenagers. They set goals for topics ranging from football and school to family and spiritual life.

“It’s not very often you get a couple of guys that you can meet up together and just talk openly about whatever you feel,” Froberg said. “I think it’s really cool that Deuce is in that. We all kind of hold each other accountable. It’s not just one person leading group the whole time; we all kind of carry the load.”

The accountability group includes both football players and non-athletes. Deuce collects inspirational quotes. Sometimes, it’s just to pass on advice to someone. Often, students seek his counsel about multiple topics. He relishes that responsibility.

“I want people to say, when they think of Deuce Hogan, he’s a leader, he’s encourager, he’s an influencer,” Deuce said. “He doesn’t have to be a football player. I don’t think that’s who I am. I would say my faith is my base for everything; it’s what everything else is built on this. And it’s the lens through which I see everything.

“Hopefully, I always have the right thing to say.”

Deuce is no stranger to the spotlight. He and his family were filmed in a football documentary during the fall and captured him after victories and his season-ending defeat to Trinity Christian in a state semifinal. Every high school football fan in the Metroplex knows his name. Iowa fans have stopped him on vacation all over the country seeking his autograph. He signed his first towel with a marker as an eighth-grader to an opposing player.

With the swagger of a four-star athlete and the humility of a servant, Deuce comes across exactly how he wants to be portrayed.

“He is a better person than he is football player,” Kris said. “We tried to raise a pastor, but we got a quarterback. In a nutshell, that’s how I would wrap him up.”

(Top photo: Amy Headington / Images of Grace))

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