KFBCA Top 11: Mac Armstrong

The Kansas Football Coaches Association picked their All-State teams on December 4th and 5th, including the All-Class Top 11. Kansas Pregame is providing capsules for each of the Top 11 selections. Check out Bishop Miege quarterback Mac Armstrong's capsule below, the second of the KFBCA Top 11 capsules for 2022.

Mac Armstrong, QB, 6-0, 175, Bishop Miege High School

Bishop Miege returned to their usual place at the top of 4A this fall, and much of that can be credited to the arm of senior quarterback Mac Armstrong.
 
Expectations were high for Armstrong coming off a big junior season in which he threw for 2,650 yards and 21 TDs on 277 of 344 passing while leading the Stags into the state semifinals before they lost to league-rival St. James Academy who won their second straight 4A state title after ending Miege’s streak of six straight titles from 2014 to 2019.
 
The senior more than met those expectations this fall completing 265 of 359 passes for 3,865 yards and 39 TDs to just four interceptions. Along with being among the state’s most prolific passers, his 73.8% completion percentage and 297.3 passing yards per game made him one of the most efficient as well.
 
“Mac has a great understanding of coverages and how we must attack certain looks,” head coach Jon Holmes said. “He is a student of the game, as he loves watching film on our opponent. We put a lot on his plate this season with RPO checks, Pass Pro checks and Pass game reads. He always put us in a good position and led our offense.”

Holmes, who has led Miege to seven state championships as a head coach, and was an assistant under Tim Grunhard for another in 2009, pointed out Armstrong’s presence in an elite group.

“Mac is a very smart football player that understands the game very well,” Holmes said. “He became the seventh consecutive starting QB in Miege history to lead our team to a state championship game. That was a big goal for him.” 
 
This season, Miege managed an 11-2 record with Armstrong’s leadership and earned their 11th state title in school history. Both losses came by a TD or less, the first against league rival St. Thomas Aquinas, who they went on to beat in the state semifinals, and the other against 2021 6A state champ Blue Valley Northwest.
 
In the title game Armstrong threw for 368 yards and three TDs as the Stags posted a 35-14 victory against an undefeated Wamego team who hadn’t had a game come within two scores prior to the championship matchup.

“Mac Armstrong is an extremely accurate quarterback, but he can also hurt you with his legs by escaping and making throws downfield,” Wamego coach Weston Moody said. “The tough part about facing Mac is his football IQ. He knows football and knows his receivers. He’s a really good player.”

In addition to his EKL Offensive Player of the Year selection, Sports in Kansas Top 11 and Offensive Player of the Year nods, and his KFBCA All-Class nod, Armstrong took home the Frank Fontana Award, given annually to the best all-around player in 4-1A in the KC Metro.

While Armstrong is still considering his options after high school, his coach will find the biggest challenge in replacing his leadership and decision making.

“The other guys want to play hard for Mac,” coach Holmes said. “He is a guy that has your back and the other guys know that. We knew when we needed to make a play, Mac was going to put us in the best position to do so.”