Emmett Dowling knows what he’s getting into.
How could he not?
The senior is taking over as Mount Carmel’s quarterback this fall, stepping into the job formerly held by 2024 Southwest Regional Player of the Year Jack Elliott. Now at Vanderbilt, Elliott set program career records for passing yards (6,707), passing touchdowns (76), attempts (695) and completions (448). He was part of three consecutive state champs, including the past two as starting quarterback.
Now it’s Dowling’s turn. He’s part of a famous Mount Carmel family — his dad Jim played on state championship teams in 1989 and ’90, while his brother Blainey was the starting quarterback for the 2022 state champs.
“I’ve always known the fight song since I was probably in second grade,” Dowling told Southwest Regional before a preseason practice. “Knew how to get here when I was little. So I have been praying that I’d be the guy, the team leader.”
Dowling got a taste of it last year, playing in 11 games as Elliott’s backup and starting against Brother Rice. He passed for 326 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions.
“It’s a lot of pressure, obviously,” Dowling said.
But the 6-0, 190-pounder credits his older brother for being with him every step of the way.
“He’s helped me out a lot,” Dowling said. “He’s telling me, ‘Stay focused on the main goal. It’s not about yourself. Be about the team.'”
The reps he got last year — important ones, not just in mop-up duty — jump-started Dowling’s preparation for this year.
“Jack was out for sometimes a whole week,” Dowling said. “I’d be with the starting offense. … I knew what my receivers did, so it helped a lot. Jack was a huge, huge part of that, coach (Jordan) Lynch as well.”
Lynch was himself one of the greatest quarterbacks in Caravan history before going on to star at Northern Illinois, where he was a Heisman Trophy finalist.
Now Lynch is working with Dowling.
“I told him, ‘Obviously there’s a lot of, probably, pressure on him and expectations,” Lynch told Southwest Regional. “He’s a freaking Dowling for God’s sake — legacy family here.
“But I don’t need him to be anything he’s not. I don’t need him to be Jack Elliott. I don’t need him to go out there and win the game for us. Go and manage the game and play within the system. It’s shown with quarterbacks that have done this in the system that good things are going to happen. So he’s learning, he’s growing.”
Elliott was always a threat to tuck the ball in and run. He even led the team in rushing yards (770) and TDs (17) last season despite missing time with an injury. That’s not necessarily Dowling’s game.
“He’s more athletic than what people think,” Lynch said. “He can definitely run. But I don’t think his game is going to be running in between the tackles and taking hits. He’s probably more of a zone-read runner.”
Where Dowling excels is ball security, according to Lynch.
“He takes care of the ball,” Lynch said. “He’s really good at making sure we end every possession with a kick. Don’t try to force things. … Get the ball to the playmakers.”