Saint Stephen’s QB Fred Billy works with former NFL player as college recruiting intensifies

It was the only blemish in a championship season for Saint Stephen’s football team, but it was enough for head coach Tod Creneti to make a point with his prized quarterback Fred Billy.

“Me and coach Creneti, we weren’t clicking after the first game,” Billy said. “Then coach Creneti said I reminded him a lot of Pat (Carter).”

Carter, who played in the NFL, played at St. Petersburg Lakewood High when Creneti was its offensive coordinator. So Creneti arranged for Billy to speak with Carter following that Week 1 loss to Naples Community School in August 2016.

The bond was instant.

“Pat and I had a five-hour long conversation,” Billy said. “... We were just talking, and I was just blown away. ... I didn’t really expect it to be five hours. I didn’t think it was that long.”

Billy traveled to visit Carter in Houston, Texas, during his Christmas and spring breaks from school. Carter, a former Louisville wide receiver who spent time with five NFL teams from 2008-11, worked with Billy on all facets of his game — playing quarterback, slot receiver and safety.

And depending on which college arrived at Saint Stephen’s campus this spring, a different answer arose as to which position Billy will play at the next level.

“We had a school come in the other day and say, ‘We are recruiting him as a quarterback,’ ” Creneti said. “... And then we have places that are saying, ‘Hey, we like him at safety or we like him in the slot.’ ”

A dual-threat quarterback for the Falcons, Billy is a rising senior that juked, shifted and darted past would-be tacklers in 2016 en route to the program’s first Sunshine State Athletic Conference title.

Running for more than 1,200 yards, Billy was deadly with his legs. Since he completed 47.8 percent of his passes, Billy worked with Carter on his release points and getting his shoulder through his delivery more.

“You have to point out the bad more than the good to be a great player,” Billy said. “That’s what the greats do like LeBron (James). (Find) the thing he’s not as strong at and really focus on it, and get better. So if you want to be like that level, you’ve got to do the same thing.”

The first school to recruit Billy, McNeese State, sees him as a quarterback. The Cowboys, along with the University of South Florida and Western Kentucky, are among Billy’s top choices, but he doesn’t plan on committing anywhere until Nov. 24.

That date is especially significant to Billy.

“That’s my mom’s birthday,” said Billy, whose mother, Erma Fordham, passed away April 21, 2016.

Billy isn’t the only player getting college looks. Saint Stephen’s has had football players move on to Division I programs, but the recent success of the program, which included back-to-back title-game appearances, has increased interest a bit.

“We’ve been building to this along the way, but sure it’s definitely exciting,” Creneti said. “... This year when schools like Vanderbilt and Georgia and Indiana, Syracuse, when schools like that are dropping by on a daily basis and you still see USF and UCF, it’s a lot of fun.”

Running back Chase Brown and safety Sydney Brown are getting looks from colleges, too.

For Billy, he said the goal is for them to continue playing in college together if they all receive an offer from the same school.

“That’s the goal,” Billy said. “We all want to get the same offer. That would be really cool.”

The Falcons’ first step toward the 2017 season and a potential SSAC championship repeat begins Saturday at home against Class 6A St. Petersburg Dixie Hollins.

The spring game against a bigger school gives Creneti a chance to gauge this year’s team and players filling gaps vacated by a seven-member graduating class. That includes seeing who will step up to replace the production of leading receiver Peyton Vining or the Murrell brothers, Jordan and Jordon.

“Both were very dynamic receivers,” Creneti said. “So we’re looking at Vaughn Hayes and Ty Barker to step up at receiver.”

This story was originally published May 10, 2017 at 4:55 PM with the headline "Saint Stephen’s QB Fred Billy works with former NFL player as college recruiting intensifies."