<\/p>\n
Jacob \u201cJT\u201d Torres was a standout quarterback for Burleson Centennial his sophomore year, but tragedy forced his family to relocate to North Crowley shortly after the season ended. The 3-6A District Executive Committee ruled it was a transfer for athletic purposes, making him ineligible to play for North Crowley his junior year.<\/p>\n
Amanda McCoy<\/p>\n
FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM<\/p>\n
FORT WORTH<\/p>\n
During the 2024 high school football season, Jacob \u201cJT\u201d Torres<\/a> solidified himself as one of the most promising sophomore quarterbacks in Dallas-Fort Worth.<\/p>\n He earned District 7-5A Division I Co-Offensive Player of the Year honors after leading Burleson Centennial to the playoffs.<\/p>\n Shortly after the season ended, tragedy struck.<\/p>\n In a terrifying moment that the Torres family said caused intense stress, a lightning bolt hit their house. Their residence became uninhabitable, and they were simply \u201chappy to be alive,\u201d Jacob\u2019s father, Antonio, said.<\/p>\n They found temporary housing close to North Crowley High School with assistance from their insurance. It was a good fit, as Jacob spent his freshman year at North Crowley and grew up within the community. He enrolled in January, rejoining many of his childhood friends.<\/p>\n But in a decision the Torres family said was shocking, the 3-6A District Executive Committee ruled it was a transfer for athletic purposes.<\/p>\n The family appealed, and the UIL State Executive Committee upheld the ruling<\/a> with a unanimous vote. The SEC made the decision largely due to a soiled relationship between Antonio Torres and former Centennial coach Kyle Geller, who did not sign off on Jacob\u2019s prior athletic participation form (PAPF).<\/p>\n Geller said Antonio was looking at local high schools for playing opportunities. The family disagreed.<\/p>\n But just like that, Jacob\u2019s junior year of eligibility at North Crowley was gone.<\/p>\n \u201cMy reaction was just frustration and disappointment because everything I worked for during the summer just felt like it was taken away from me,\u201d Jacob said.<\/p>\n After the lightning strike, Antonio Torres said it was like they were kicked while they were down.<\/p>\n \u201cWe just focused on JT, and the priority was his mental, just making sure he stayed focused,\u201d Antonio said. \u201cWe always say, \u2018Keep your head down and just let your actions speak louder than your words.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Torres\u2019 story is an example of the often confusing transfer process in UIL Texas high school sports, where many athletes are cleared, and a select few are ruled ineligible.<\/p>\n Torres, a talented college football recruit with room to grow, missed out on some valuable exposure. But sitting out led him on a challenging journey that saw him endure hardships on and off the field and further develop his mental toughness and resiliency.<\/p>\n Battling through adversity<\/p>\n Jacob could\u2019ve left North Crowley to play at a private school in the Fort Worth area or moved to another state, but he chose to stay with the Panthers and play on the JV squad.<\/p>\n \u201cNot playing [varsity] football was really hard,\u201d Jacob said. \u201cAnd that\u2019s because football is really everything I knew for a long time. It was my life. I really focused on training and tried to get my mind off of everything.\u201d<\/p>\n North Crowley head coach DeMarcus Harris, who was promoted after the 2025 season, said Jacob\u2019s decision to stay was selfless.<\/p>\n \u201cHe could have left and went to private school,\u201d Harris said. \u201cHe said, \u2018No, I want to stay. [North Crowley] is where I want to be.\u2019 And to see him fight through that \u2026 the way he handled it, the way his family handled it, was awesome. He showed humility, and I think he\u2019s grown a lot from it.\u201d<\/p>\n As Jacob watched from the sidelines, North Crowley did not defend its 2024 Class 6A Division I state title. The Panthers tallied a 12-2 record, falling to Allen<\/a> in the regional finals.<\/p>\n \u201cThe hardest part was probably watching my teammates go to battle without me, because I know how much it meant for them,\u201d Jacob said. \u201cIt was definitely one of the toughest years of my life because football is everything to me. Without it, I\u2019m just a normal kid. I don\u2019t know what I\u2019d do without football.\u201d<\/p>\n Jacob had to focus on what he could control. So, he said he set his mind on being the best teammate, elevating his leadership, watching film and staying in peak physical condition.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd just trying to be positive for my teammates,\u201d Torres said. \u201cTo coach up the quarterbacks, even though I wasn\u2019t playing. So, I tried to be as productive as I could during the season. And I had to be patient.\u201d<\/p>\n Facing another setback<\/p>\n It was already a challenging year, but things took another turn for the worse when he broke his collarbone playing JV ball.<\/p>\n \u201cIt took about three months for it to fully heal,\u201d Torres said. \u201cNo surgery needed, but as soon as I was able to move it, I did physical therapy to get it back to where it was, and even better.\u201d<\/p>\n It was another challenge in a stressful year. Thankfully for Jacob, he had several people in his corner who were there for him when he needed it.<\/p>\n \u201cMy family, coaches and teammates supported me,\u201d Jacob said. \u201cThey\u2019ll come check on me, talk to me and make sure I\u2019m good.\u201d<\/p>\n Taking care of his mental health was his parents\u2019 top priority.<\/p>\n \u201cWe talked every each and every day,\u201d said Stefanie Torres, Jacob\u2019s mother. \u201cI also told him if he felt so sad that I couldn\u2019t help him, to let me know so that we could get him professional help. We just stuck together as a family, and we just stayed positive.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite the emotional hardships, Jacob still had goals to accomplish and a path forward.<\/p>\n \u201cIt wasn\u2019t just about him playing football,\u201d Antonio Torres said. \u201cIt was about starting and finishing something in life. And when challenges and adversity come up, how do you react?\u201d<\/p>\n What he brings to North Crowley\u2019s offense<\/p>\n North Crowley coaches have high expectations for Torres, a dual threat with a cannon of an arm. He can attack downfield with strength and accuracy, giving North Crowley\u2019s speedy offense the tools to thrive.<\/p>\n \u201cHe can make every throw, and he\u2019s athletic,\u201d Harris said. \u201cHe can run, and he just understands the offense. He understands the flow. He\u2019s done this before, so we\u2019re just excited to see him go to work.\u201d<\/p>\n North Crowley has a reputation for building state-leading offensive lines. On top of that, Torres will be surrounded by talented teammates, including four-star wide receiver Damarion Mays and three-star North Texas commit G\u2019yrell Smith.<\/p>\n North Crowley quarterbacks coach Jeremy Hodge said he expects Torres to take command of the offense with an ability to extend a play that is \u201csecond to none.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then on top of that, his big throws with his big arm and the accuracy downfield \u2014 I haven\u2019t seen anything like it,\u201d Hodge said.<\/p>\n Did sitting out affect recruitment?<\/p>\n After his standout season with Centennial, offers from Sacramento State and Lamar came in.<\/p>\n Sitting out during a pivotal junior season slowed things down.<\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t show some coaches what I was capable of and how much I progressed throughout the summer,\u201d Jacob said. \u201cI think it affected [recruiting] a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n There was one big positive for Torres. At North Crowley, a Texas powerhouse under the national spotlight, recruiters visit the program to scout talent.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve got freshman and JV kids with offers,\u201d Harris said. \u201cBut he wanted to show that production. He still has a chance for all those college coaches to come see him in the spring. Of course, [sitting out] hurt a little bit, but it wouldn\u2019t be like if he was somewhere else.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2026, offers came in from Wagner and Arkansas-Monticello.<\/p>\n As an uncommitted senior, Torres has one main thing to prove: That he can thrive against Texas high school football\u2019s toughest competition when the lights are brightest.<\/p>\n Torres may not have extensive game experience in Class 6A, but he does face something Harris thinks is just as challenging: North Crowley\u2019s defense in practice.<\/p>\n \u201cWe feel good about where he\u2019s at and where his mental is at,\u201d Harris said. \u201cHe stayed involved. He went to every game. He was on the sideline, and he\u2019s asking questions. He was at the meetings. He saw the game from a coach\u2019s perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n North Crowley offensive coordinator Kevin Park said Torres\u2019 leadership will make a difference, calling him a great teammate.<\/p>\n \u201cI think his mental edge and his competitiveness are what really sets him apart,\u201d Park said.<\/p>\n Torres will need that fire as North Crowley, ranked No. 4 in Class 6A, will start non-district play against local powers Aledo and Southlake Carroll.<\/p>\n \u201cMissing that season doesn\u2019t affect who I am,\u201d Jacob said. \u201cAnd I\u2019m going to come back stronger. My response was to keep my head down and keep working day by day, because one dramatic life event doesn\u2019t define the player you are.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking forward<\/p>\n With North Crowley officially starting its season Aug. 28, Torres is set to take the field with a varsity team for the first time in 651 days.<\/p>\n How will Antonio Torres feel as his son returns? Nervous is an understatement, he said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut ultimately, I think he\u2019s been subjected to a lot of the pressures,\u201d Antonio said. \u201cHe\u2019s been under the lights before.\u201d<\/p>\n Jacob already has chemistry with his teammates, many of whom he has known his whole life. Now, he\u2019s simply electing to trust his preparation and the lessons learned throughout the past year.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s going to be mixed emotions,\u201d Jacob said. \u201cI\u2019m going to be happy, and I\u2019m going to be a little nervous. In the first game back, I think that\u2019s pretty normal. I\u2019m just ready to ball out this year.\u201d<\/p>\n Through the good and the bad, the past year gave Torres perspective beyond his age.<\/p>\n \u201cI learned to not take anything for granted because it could get taken away real fast,\u201d Jacob said. \u201cNo matter what, you\u2019ve got to be grateful for what you\u2019ve got.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Burleson](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/CT_bootbowl_03.jpeg\" "\\"CT_bootbowl_03\\"")
Burleson Centennial quarterback Jacob Torres points to a receiver in the first quarter of the 2024 Boot Bowl game against Burleson High School at BISD Stadium. Chris Torres ctorres@star-telegram.com <\/p>\n Jacob \u201cJT\u201d Torres was a standout quarterback for Burleson Centennial his sophomore year, but tragedy forced his family to relocate to North Crowley shortly after the season ended. The 3-6A District Executive Committee ruled it was a transfer for athletic purposes, making him ineligible to play for North Crowley his junior year. Amanda McCoy FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM <\/p>\n
Jacob \u201cJT\u201d Torres was a standout quarterback for Burleson Centennial his sophomore year, but tragedy forced his family to relocate to North Crowley shortly after the season ended. The 3-6A District Executive Committee ruled it was a transfer for athletic purposes, making him ineligible to play for North Crowley his junior year. Amanda McCoy FORT WORTH STAR-TELEGRAM <\/p>\n