Haughton’s Weathersby nears record levels, Craig scores 6 TDs
· Yahoo Sports
The best quarterback you’ve never heard of could be the young man with the stinky uniform residing in Haughton while quietly seeking to become the most productive quarterback in Buccaneer history by the time his prep story ends.
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Taylor Weathersby has engineered one of the best turnarounds in local football history at the midway point of the 2026 LHSAA season, including Thursday’s 55-36 win over District 1-5A foe Parkway. The Bucs were 2-8 in 2025 and couldn’t punch the socks off a wet sailor. Behind Weathersby this fall, they’ve looked like they could beat everyone. That’s because the 5-foot-10, 185-pound quarterback has a knack for making the right decision with the exception of his clothing options and superstitions.
“I’m very superstitious; I wear the same clothes every game day, including underwear,” Weathersby said with a laugh. “And I eat the same meal the day before with my dad (Joel Weathersby).”
The steak fajita bowl at Casa Cantina is his meal of choice. Just don’t sit too close if you see the Weathersbys, unless you’re a Buc supporter who knows what this mega contributor feeds on.
“Taylor is the straw who stirs the drink for our football team,” Haughton coach Matthew Sewell said. “He’s played in over 30 varsity football games, so he has a ton of experience. He knows what to expect out there, on top of being very talented, so we lean on that weekly.”
Thursday’s contest actually belonged to running back Brandon Craig, who was unstoppable in rolling to six TDs and a two-point conversion on a mix of runs against the Panthers, who couldn’t figure out how to rein him in. The senior scored up the middle, and he scored on edge runs and he scored in the Wildcat format.
“Brandon is the best running back in Shreveport-Bossier and best player in town that no one ever talks about,” Sewell said. “He has the best vision and best hands of any player I have ever coached.”
Weathersby entered Thursday’s game with 6,324 career passing yards, just 1,236 yards behind former Buc Seth Holloway. Weathersby will probably need a playoff game or two to set a new yardage record. His 58 passing TDs are just 22 short of Dak Prescott’s mark at Haughton, so he continues in his quest to leave his identity on the program while remembering how short life can be.
Weathersby remains haunted by the death his cousin, Zac Funderburk, 27, who died in a motorcycle accident in 2024.
“He was somebody I looked up to for a very long time and someone I try to be like to this day,” he said.
While the Panthers were picked to finish atop the district standings in a preseason coaches’ poll, the Buccaneers were selected to be at the bottom coming off 2025’s 2-8 campaign. So, being 4-1 with five regular season games on the horizon could definitely be considered a win. Could there be more success to come?
“I feel great, and I’m so proud of our team and how much adversity we’ve overcome,” Weathersby said. “But the job's not done, and we have to take it week-by-week and continue to play better on all three phases.”
Weathersby’s best chance to play at the next level, no matter how stacked his statistics end up, will likely be at the Division III level as he currently has offers from Hendrix College and East Texas Baptist. Either of those would fit in well with his 3.6 GPA. Right now he’s looking for another game to surpass the 2025 game against Byrd, when the Bucs managed a two-point conversion in the closing moments of overtime to top Byrd 36-35.
“That was the most fun, the most intense game I’ve ever played in,” he said.
Weathersby hasn’t met a lot of celebrities, but he does wear No. 9 thanks to his admiration for former New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, whom he hasn’t met. He did, however, have a brush with current Saints QB Tyler Shough at the Manning Passing Academy.
“Meeting him and talking to him about how to lead and be a better quarterback changed my entire perspective on playing the position,” Weathersby said.
And at a time when things seem to be breaking down around high school football stadiums in Louisiana, Weathersby appears to be leading the Bucs in a different direction.
“Taylor sets the tone with the way he leads by example,” Sewell said. “He brings an unmatched level of passion and love for the game. He’s fearless and is the ultimate competitor. Our guys believe in him, and we’re glad he plays for us.”
Jimmy Watson covers Louisiana sports for the USA TODAY Network. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @JimmyWatson6.
Taylor Weathersby stat file (prior to Parkway game)
■ 26 Career starts, has played in 32 games
■ Threw for 3,012 Yards and 27 TDs last year and ran for 3 TDs
■ Has 6,324 career passing yards (3rd in program history) — 1,930 yards shy of Seth Holloway’s school record
■ 58 career TD Passes (4th in program history) — 22 TDs shy of Dak Prescott’s school record
■ 67 TDs accounted for in career
■ Owns 5 of the 10 highest games for Passing Yards in school history
More from Taylor Weathersby
His greatest fear: “Not living to my full potential.”
Greatest fear No. 2: “Not creating the best life for my future family.”
What he expects to do professionally: “My dream is to be a professional football player.”
Favorite sport to watch on TV: College Game Day/ Good Morning Football.
Country he’d most like to visit: Australia would be very interesting
Favorite subject in school: “Probably world history”
Teacher he most appreciates: Mrs. Saint Andre.
Favorite restaurant: Casa Cantina.
Person from history with whom he’d like to dine: Jesus Christ.
Person he most admires: “My dad because he grew up poor, wasn’t the smartest or the most in shape yet he overcame all the adversities and disadvantages and became the best father and man he could be for me. He is someone I want to be just like when I’m older.”
This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Haughton’s Weathersby nears record levels, Craig scores 6 TDs