AOTW: Bush taking unselfish approach to both sides of the ball - Oconee Enterprise

Athens Academy senior Palmer Bush woke up sore on Saturday morning. He’s started 26 games as the Spartans’ quarterback over the last two seasons.

He’d never felt like he felt on Saturday morning.

Bush didn’t gripe about it. He rolled out of bed and began preparing his body for Friday’s contest against 7A opponent Berkmar High School.

Bush helped the Spartans to a 24-7 win over Commerce High School on Friday night. Bush looked like his normal cool and efficient self while piloting the Spartans’ offense. Bush was 18-for-26 for 239 yards with two touchdowns through the air. Bush ran for 50 yards on 10 carries.

His performance has made Bush this week’s Oconee Physical Therapy & Sports Rehabilitation/Oconee Enterprise Athlete of the Week.

Bush’s added some responsibility to his resume for 2020. He also shuttled in and out at cornerback on Friday night.

“It’s a little bit different, you’ve got to condition yourself a lot better the week of a game,” Bush said. “I like it. You’ve got to be in the game at all times.”

Bush has already found some advantages gifted to him by his long list of experiences as a quarterback.

“As a quarterback you know every position and what’s going,” Bush said. “It makes the game move slower. You process things faster and you figure out what’s going on.”

When last season ended Bush expected to continue his streak of starts at the quarterback position. Athens Academy head coach Josh Alexander approached Bush during the summer about the possibility of playing some defense in 2020.

Bush’s initial reaction was immediately about the team’s needs.

“I was happy to do whatever I’ve got to do for us to win as many games as we can,” Bush said. “It’s a team thing. It’s not about me.”

It’s a characteristic Alexander has admired about his senior quarterback for a long time.

“Everything he does is so professional and he’s so well-mannered and he’s always looking out for other people,” Alexander said. “It’s not just our athletes, he’s always looking out for people in the community and he’s well liked. He likes everybody. He’s always positive. He’s up for anything we ask him to do. His parents have done just an excellent job. He’s been really fun to coach.”