Hazen Quarterback Luke King Impressed With Blayne Toll, Predicts Success For Him With Razorbacks

FAYETTEVILLE — Luke King emerged as a starting quarterback for Hazen in 2019 thus allowing them to play senior and future Razorback Blayne Toll at other positions.

King, 6-2, 190, is a 2023 prospect to watch in the future. He made all-conference as a freshman while passing for 1,015 yards and 17 touchdowns. He was impressive at a University of Arkansas football camp last summer.

King talked about how he feels his freshman season with the Hornets went.

“I think I had a good year,” King said. “We went 10-2 and we made it to the third round of the playoffs. I think we should have won it all and won the state championship, but we got beat last second by Fordyce. Then I got all-conference as a freshman.”

Fordyce beat Hazen and King 24-20 and then went on to capture the state championship defeating Salem 38-14 in the Class 2A semifinals and then topping Junction City 28-6 for the title.

King felt his time at Arkansas’ camp this past summer helped prepare him for the 2019 season.

“I think out of all the quarterbacks I thought I competed well against them,” King said. “I like competing against other people. You know where you stand in the state and around the country. You’ve got people from out of state. You see where you stand at.”

Toll was signed by Sam Pittman and his staff to play on the defensive line. But a shortage of tight ends led the coaching staff to move Toll to tight end. He caught 14 passes for 170 yards and a touchdown for Hazen last fall. Due to the COVID-19 shutting down schools, Toll returned to Hazen and has been working out some with King. Toll enrolled at Arkansas at midterm.

“I think once he learns the position real well the sky is the limit for him,” King said. “I have been throwing to him down here. He’s gotten a lot better. He has gotten a lot quicker, faster, stronger and stuff. I think once he gets it down and learns it the sky is the limit.”

Video of King throwing to Toll

King listed some of the things he has learned from Toll both on and off the field.

“He is a good friend and good leader,” King said. “This year he was a leader on the football team. He has a work ethic. He works hard lifting weights. I learned a lot from him on that stuff. We worked out this morning.”

While he still has three more years of high school it’s never too early to start thinking about future colleges. King has done that.

“No. 1 I like Arkansas,” King said. “That’s my dream to be able to play there. Arkansas State would be a good school and Ole Miss maybe.”

King said he considers himself a dual-threat quarterback more than pro-style one.

“Next year we’re spreading it out and stuff,” King said. “I can run and do all that stuff too. I consider myself more of a dual-threat.”

Earlier on Friday morning, King reached his goal of 315 on the bench press. His previous best was 300.