For better or worse, the New York Giants will get a good sense of their prospects for turning their winless season around with rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart taking the reins at home against the undefeated Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
At least one fan believes Dart's highly anticipated debut will go favorably.
"I have all the confidence in the world that he'll do really well," said Eric Kjar, Dart's former coach at Corner Canyon High School in Draper, Utah. "The No. 1 reason is that he'll definitely be prepared. He puts a ton of time into his personal preparation -- more than I've ever seen. He's also the ultimate competitor, and he's got a contagious energy. He's always elevated the people around him."
Kjar's perspective is logical: He watched Dart lead the country in passing yards (4,691) and touchdowns (67) and rush for 1,195 yards en route to taking the Corner Canyon Chargers to a 14-0 record and a state title in 2020.
Dart, who finished ranked No. 19 in the SportsCenter NEXT 100 in 2021, was subsequently named Gatorade Player of the Year.
Those numbers and accolades came with a lot of memorable moments. Here are five from the 2020 season that stuck out to Kjar.
5. Dart's dominant introduction
Dart set the tone for what was to come in just the second game of his final high school season. The 6-foot-2 signal-caller reeled off five touchdowns in the first quarter -- four passing and one rushing -- to lead the Chargers to a 56-0 win over Herriman High School. He finished with 480 passing yards and six total touchdowns.
In Kjar's words: "That's the game that I knew that he was super special. He just lit them up. He just throws it so good, and he's accurate, but the best thing about him is that he's so competitive. It's a different breed. Watching him in that game was just like, 'Wow!'"
4. Six-score statement in TV debut
Dart wasn't a household name before his TV debut against Bingham High School, but viewers across the country and college coaches began to take notice after he tactically dismantled the Miners in every way. Dart went 16-of-23 for 279 yards and six touchdowns while adding 132 rushing yards in the 42-20 win.
In Kjar's words: "That was definitely his coming-out party to the country. He really seized the moment there. That's when colleges really took to him, and he got a ton of attention after that game. That's when things got pretty crazy for him."
3. Clutch keeper on fourth down
Late in the fourth quarter, Dart and the Chargers were on the Lone Peak 20-yard line facing a 4th-and-2 when he barreled over Knights defensive star John Henry Daley to keep the drive alive and set up a score that put the game away. The Chargers went on to win 35-25.
In Kjar's words: "Jaxson just had that thing about him that allowed him to step up and be better than everybody else in the most intense situations. It's just a gear that he has that sets him apart. I mean, he just went right through the kid, who was a great player and having a great game in his own right."
2. The fourth-quarter comeback
Multiple turnovers and miscues were plaguing the undefeated Chargers all night as they found themselves trailing by 14 points headed into the fourth quarter at Skyridge High. But with the game on the line, Dart refused to let his team fall, leading back-to-back scoring drives and converting a 2-point conversion to reclaim the lead and finish off the Falcons 29-26.
In Kjar's words: "He was so dominant and really took the game over in a really adverse scenario. He was just so fired up, and he's so competitive, and he was refusing to let us lose that game. He ran over a couple linebackers and really got the guys going. We were not looking good, but then he just turned it on. Just like that!"
1. Dart delivers the state title
The Chargers were riding a 13-game winning streak entering the highly anticipated rematch with state powerhouse Lone Peak, and Dart made sure they had no letdowns in the finale. He picked Lone Peak apart with a precise aerial attack (24-of-39 for 328 yards and four touchdowns) while keeping the defense off-balance with his legs (118 rushing yards and a touchdown). By halftime, Dart and the Chargers had put the game away with a 45-0 lead.
In Kjar's words: "He was so efficient and so productive in that game. He was just on fire. I don't think he missed a beat at all. It was just the way he played, and the way everyone played around him as a result. There was just no answer for the zone that he was in. It was a show."