The last time Brother Rice’s football program started a season 3-0, C.J. Gray was an eighth-grader dreaming of taking the varsity field.

It was 2021 when the Crusaders won their first three games, posted a 10-3 record and advanced to the Class 7A state semifinals. Brother Rice hasn’t recorded a double-digit winning season since, but the Crusaders are 4-0 this year and appear primed for a deep run.

“Everybody has been buying in on both sides of the ball,” Gray said. “I’ve been on the same page with my guys and I have a full season under my belt, so I’m feeling more comfortable. Everybody has been doing their job and we’re doing the simple things right.”

Gray, now a senior quarterback and a key leader for the Crusaders, has been an integral part of Brother Rice’s success so far. A second-year starter, Gray has thrown for 660 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for 180 yards and three scores over the team’s 4-0 start.

Brother Rice, which currently ranks as the No. 1 team in Class 7A, has outscored its opponents 134-35 during that four-game span.

“I’m always working on everything, whether it’s throwing on the field, the mental part of the game before the snap or studying film,” Gray said. “My biggest goal is for us make it to state, but we’re going one game at a time. After we win those big games, we stay focused on the task at hand. We don’t want to look ahead or get complacent.”

Gray, who committed to play football at Army during the summer, started for the Crusaders as a junior, completing 62% of his passes and throwing for 1,245 yards and 13 touchdowns with just three interceptions. Gray helped Brother Rice orchestrate arguably its biggest victory of the 2024 season, a 16-13 upset of Mount Carmel.

“That was great,” Gray said. “My teammates and I always feel like we are supposed to win when we go out there. We had the confidence to go out there and play them, so for us to go out there and do what we were supposed to do... It was great to beat the best of the best.”

Gray has played all four years of his high school career at Brother Rice. He said his development as a passer has allowed him to take his abilities to another level. He’s become like a second son to Brother Rice head coach Casey Quedenfeld, who called him an “instrumental” part of the team’s success after Friday’s 28-6 win over Loyola.

“We’re very close with each other and he’s a great leader,” Quedenfeld said. “He’s doing a lot of things that he probably never thought he would when he came here as an eighth-grader. Going through all of those battles last year and learning how to play quarterback... He’s a cerebral guy and even when he makes a mistake, he comes back. He’s a great kid and a good football player.”

Gray overcame a few early miscues during Brother Rice’s victory over the three-time defending 8A champion Ramblers. Despite a fumble and an interception, Gray threw for 229 yards, rushed for a season-high 103 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns. The senior completed 18 passes and showed his dual-threat abilities, making throws on the run and picking up first downs with his legs.

“I’ve improved as a passer,” said Gray, who attributed his growth on the field to his work with Next Level Athletix quarterbacks coach Greg Holcomb. “I came in being more of an athlete and running was my strong suit, but I got the work in and I’ve become bigger, faster and stronger. I started with [Greg] and one of my best decisions was going to him. He’s been able to prepare me on the field and off the field.”

A natural leader, Gray started playing football at 6 years old and he gravitated toward the quarterback position early on. Gray, who grew up idolizing Auburn legend and former NFL quarterback Cam Newton, has always enjoyed the thrill of the sport, but he said his desire to play quarterback stemmed from the responsibility the position carries.

“You have control of the game,” Gray said. “When things go wrong, it’s on you and when things go well, it’s on you. I like how I’m able to have that control from a leadership standpoint and I know I’ll be leaned on when I’m needed. When I was younger, I felt like I bonded with the position and I like being in the position where I could be in control.”

Now wearing No. 2, the same number Newton wore at Auburn, Gray has taken on a bigger leadership role with the Crusaders this season. A multi-sport athlete who played both baseball and basketball before focusing on football, Gray still competes with the same excitement he had when he stepped onto the field for his first varsity game last year.

“I couldn’t wait to do that because I would come here in eighth grade and watch the games,” Gray said. “For that to me out there, I was really excited and I still have that excitement as a senior. I’m having so much fun playing quarterback and I’m glad I chose Brother Rice.”

A member of the National Honor Society, Gray held offers from Navy and Sacred Heart before announcing his commitment to play football at Army on June 24. Gray, whose uncle Kellen was in the U.S. Navy and continues to be a role model, toured the Army campus in the summer and made an immediate connection with the coaching staff.

“As soon as I got down there, I loved it,” Gray said. “It felt like a place where I could really excel and put myself in a good position. There was an instant connection... I’m looking forward to the experience and I want to show my toughness and leadership. At that stage, everybody is good, so I want to go down there and showcase my abilities.”