Smiling and chatting with his friends like he would any week after an 18-0 win over Adna, when Toledo quarterback Austin Norris takes off his helmet, the weight the senior carries on his shoulders is hardly noticeable.
But when Norris puts that helmet on in practice and during pivotal league games, something that once was completely unexpected has now become commonplace.
Credited as the catalyst of Toledo’s unbeaten run since a season-opening loss to Raymond-South Bend weeks ago by his coach, Mike Christensen, Norris has captained the Riverhawks to the cusp of heights they have not reached in years.
“If you talk to Austin he’s the funnest and goofiest kid you’ve ever met, you’d never think he took anything seriously,” Christensen said. “After that first loss to RSB, he took the team under his wing, along with the other seniors, but we told him sometimes you’re too serious. He wants this as bad as any player I’ve ever had. It’s awesome to see that. If you knew Austin, he’s the happiest, go-luckiest, funnest kid you could be around, but he’s laser-focused.”
And years ago, when Ryan Bloomstrom and Wyatt Nef were nearly unanimous picks to lead the Riverhawks offense, Christensen would be lying if he said he expected Norris to pick up on quarterbacking this easily.
As a sophomore, Norris turned out for football mostly for his friends, and told Christensen that he likely wouldn’t turn out again for his junior season with a limited role. After some convincing and sticking around for his junior season, Christensen leveled with Norris.
“I had a conversation with him where I told him I thought he’d be the quarterback next year if he put the work in,” Christensen recalled. “I think he was really surprised. I don’t think a lot of people in his life have put that much faith in him, the people who are close to him trust him but the people on the outside have written him off in life.”
Norris admitted that he was indeed surprised, and initially wrote off any idea that he could lead the Riverhawk offense after Nef graduated last season. Though after giving it a try throughout the year, his confidence grew. By the time it was his turn, there was doubt Norris would be the leader of the Toledo offense heading into this season.
“When we first had that talk, I was like no way,” Norris said. “I started to get more reps and it was really fun. I figured that the team is as good as the quarterback and the leaders and the captains. I feel like I’m a decent athlete and I’m a pretty good leader.”
Nothing may have been more emblematic of Norris’ rise, and contributions to the Riverhawks’ 6-1 record, than his game last Friday night against Adna.
In a defensive battle, Norris was one of the defensive backs responsible for shutting down the Pirates passing attack, and on offense, scored on two long runs that broke the Pirates’ backs in a key league victory on the road.
The win has Toledo just one win away from winning a league title for the first time since 2016.
“He’s just such a good kid, we’ve kept him around, and he’s worked so hard to become physically strong enough to be the quarterback and to also become the leader,” Christensen said. “You saw some big plays out of him in this game but he does it every game with making line adjustments and working through the calls. He’s a big part of what we do, and I couldn’t be more proud of him.”
But with Nef back on the staff to help guide him, Norris’ rise is all a testament to the work he put in when Christensen put his faith in him back at the beginning of his junior season.
Tag on added leadership responsibilities and the pressure it takes to orchestrate an offense, so far, none of that has phased the happy-go-lucky off the field, but conversely serious football player that Norris has become.
“You see the stuff on the field, which is great, but in a lot of ways he’s the key to our offense,” Christensen said. “Offensively he offers that one-two punch. He’s throwing so much better than he has earlier this season. It’s really his leadership in practice and in the film room that has made the biggest difference.”
