Editor’s note: Over the next three weeks, the Star is counting down the top high school football players in Southern Arizona. Up today: Sunnyside junior quarterback Deion Conde.
Name: Deion Conde
Rundown: The 5-foot-7-inch, 150-pound Conde is the Blue Devils’ third-year starting QB.
Who he is: After throwing for 1,604 yards and 13 touchdowns his freshman season in 2019, Conde was eager to prove even more as a sophomore.
Unfortunately for Conde and the Sunnyside football team, those plans were put on hold. The coronavirus pandemic limited the Blue Devils to just one game before their season was canceled in late November.
“That made me want to put in more work and work harder this year,” Conde said.
Conde, a member of the Tohono O’Odham Nation, has been hard at work as Sunnyside and other teams across Tucson have completed their first week of full-pads practice.
“He’s been so fun to coach,” Sunnyside coach Glenn Posey said.
With Conde’s slight frame under center, much of the Blue Devils’ offense has consisted of pocket passing bolstered by a formidable running game and play action. Outside of broken plays, Conde hasn’t been able to showcase his elusiveness in the open field.
The junior said he’s hoping to run more this season. Conde spent a bulk of the offseason improving his footwork and durability.
“I feel comfortable running outside the pocket this year,” he said. “I’ve gained more weight and I’m able to take more hits now.”
Sunnyside will open its season Sept. 3 against Desert View. The Blue Devils lost 20-6 to the Jaguars in 2019, and have revenge on their minds.
“We’ve already been watching a lot of film and game planning to beat them,” Conde said. “That’s the main game we’ve been talking about this year.”
Deion Conde lifts weights as he works out with other athletes at Jet Sports Training last summer.
Proof he’s good: Posey doesn’t consider his QB a one-hit wonder after an eye-popping freshman year. In fact, he said Conde is a much more experienced player than his resume suggests.
“His anticipation is off the charts,” Posey said. “He throws the ball into windows that are not even close to being open and all of the sudden the ball is in the receiver’s hands.”
One of Conde’s best features, Posey said, is his knowledge and understanding of the team’s offense.
“He’s got everything down now,” Posey explained. “You can’t confuse him, you can’t mess him up.”
With his mastery of the playbook, Conde thinks being more of a rushing threat this season can be an advantage to the entire offense.
“Me being more of a runner this year can make the defense change formations,” he said. “That’ll open up things for passing and for my teammates.”
He said it: “Deion’s the iconic leader. He puts the team on his shoulders and he’s not afraid of the moment.” — Posey
