Chris Rhodes finds success at quarterback with just 1 eye

Whether he's standing in the pocket running his team's spread offense or attempting to scramble, West (Columbus, Ohio) senior quarterback Chris Rhodes has been forced to develop what he believes is a keen sense of when he's about to get pressured.

The numbers he's put up the last two seasons — and his unique story — are evidence that he's found that special formula.

Rhodes, who leads central Ohio through five weeks in passing yards (1,380) and touchdown passes (21), lost his right eye in an accident when he was a toddler. The fact that he has a prosthetic eye never has slowed him down, even though he knows opponents could take advantage of the impairment.

"It seems weird, but I can feel when (defenders) are coming," Rhodes said. "I'm not really worried about getting hit from the blind side."

"He has to turn all the way around to be able to see if a defender is coming," senior offensive lineman Zach Cradduck said. "I'm on the side that he can't see out of, so I know my job is important."

Rhodes remembers little about the incident that took his eye when he was 22 months old. Kids in the neighborhood were playing with discarded roof shingles, and one was thrown that hit Rhodes in the face. Doctors told his family that he likely would have a difficult time as an athlete.

Despite the situation, Rhodes began playing local youth football when he was 4.

"I just adjusted to it," he said. "My mother said that my depth perception wasn't very good for a while, but my other eye is perfect. When I was about 6, my pee-wee coach wanted to try me out at quarterback and I did well enough to keep the job."

Rhodes played youth football in the west side of Columbus for the next several years. He played cornerback as well as quarterback, which he believes helped him develop a sense of what to look for when passing the ball.

Rhodes then served as the backup quarterback at West for two years under 2010 graduate Eric Stewart, who set district records of 8,421 yards passing and 85 touchdowns during his career. In Rhodes' first season as a starter in West's pass-oriented approach a year ago, he led central Ohio in passing yards with 2,512 and threw 33 touchdowns.

After the Cowboys went 4-6 last season, they're off to a 4-1 start this time around. Rhodes is 94-for-160 passing for 1,380 yards with 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions and also has rushed for 141 yards and two scores.
Rhodes hasn't played defense the last two seasons and admits that he misses being on the other side of the field.

"Honestly I don't know if people target (his blind side), but it would probably be smart if they did," coach Mike Flusche said. "I get real nice comments from other coaches about him all of the time. He's a very talented player. Chris would love to play defense, but the reason he doesn't is that we don't have a good backup (quarterback) right now."

Rhodes' success despite his limitations have spanned beyond just the football field. He's also a starting guard for the Cowboys' basketball team and the No. 1 starting pitcher for their baseball team. He made first-team all-City League-South Division last spring in baseball for a Cowboys team that earned a league runner-up finish.

"I find it literally amazing that he can succeed like he has with one eye," Flusche said. "Trying to swing a bat with one eye is hard, and I can't imagine somebody being good let alone start in three sports with one eye. He's never mentioned it."

It's not a handicap by any means, according to Rhodes.

"I don't use (not having a right eye) as an excuse, but it's definitely harder," he said. "You've got to go through the reads twice as fast. It's hard but I've managed to do it."

With experience running an offense that throws the ball he estimates "80 percent" of the time, Rhodes believes he has the pedigree to be a college quarterback. About the only thing hindering that hope is a 5-foot-11, 170-pound frame that he believes has caused Division I schools to show minimal interest.

Division III schools throughout Ohio have proven to be the most interested in Rhodes.

"(My size) is the only reason it could be because I have the stats, and my grades are great," Rhodes said. "I went to an Under Armour camp last year in Cleveland and I threw it really hard and really far, and I'm really accurate."

That alone is quite an accomplishment for an athlete who's overcome the kind of situation Rhodes has to become one of Ohio's best passers.

Jarrod Ulrey covers Central and Northern Ohio for MaxPreps.com. He has covered prep sports for ThisWeekSPORTS.com for 16 years and can be reached at julrey@thisweeknews.com.