Bakersfield College starting quarterback Logan Kilgore, 19, draws inspiration from his family, friends, teammates and the values his parents instilled him.
“My parents, they basically raised me on three things: Do the right thing, do it the best you can and treat others the way you want to be treated,” said Kilgore.
Kilgore attended Jesuit High School in Carmichael, Calif. and even though he had little experience in high school, he was chosen as the starting quarterback for BC this season.
When the season started for BC, Kilgore said that he was ready.
“I was fine – I’ve played quarterback all my life,” said Kilgore proudly.
BC head coach Jeff Chudy mentioned Kilgore’s rise to leading the team after grey-shirting last season.
“Logan has worked extremely hard to put himself in a position to become a college quarterback,” he said. “His hard work has paid off. He’s persevered. Typically what we say is that good things happen to guys that work hard, and it’s worked out well for him.
“He had a burning desire to play college football [and] thought that he didn’t get the opportunities in high school. He’s proof in the pudding that people that work hard and are patient have a chance to be successful. He’s still got a ways to go – he’s not completely polished by any means, but he’s getting better.”
Kilgore is averaging 188 passing yards per game this season and has thrown for more than 1,300 yards after the Oct. 17 victory against Moorpark. Kilgore has completed 76 of 135 passes and 11 touchdowns, ranking second in Southern California.
Outside of football, Kilgore is a business management major. He would love to run a company of his own but he is not sure what type yet. Kilgore admitted, “I would say football is my minor.”
Kilgore played on the basketball and baseball teams at Jesuit High School. When asked if he would like to play other sports at BC, Kilgore responded, “Not anymore. It was a decision I made when I was a little kid that I was going to be a quarterback and that’s what I always wanted to do.”
Kilgore not only draws inspiration from his older sister, but also from NFL quarterback Brett Favre.
“Fundamentally, he’s not somebody that any quarterback coach is going to show any tape on him and say ‘play like this’ but as far as passion, leadership, love of the game and playing forever [he has pride],” Kilgore said of Favre.
Kilgore can relate with Favre’s attitude of playing on no matter what.
“It doesn’t mater how bad I get banged up – I’ve never missed a practice. [When] it’s game time, I’m going to be in there unless my foot’s hanging off.”
Kilgore’s inspiration from home comes in two forms: family and a personal tragedy.
He talked of how his sister, Taylor, inspires Logan to play, “She’s 21, she’s the real athlete of the family, and she was [a] McDonald’s All-American basketball player [at Forest Lake High School in Rocklin, CA in 2006].”
As a senior guard, Taylor plays basketball for Humboldt State.
Kilgore added about Taylor, “She’s a hard worker. I talk to her before and after every game.”
Kilgore mentioned that both of their parents attend all of Taylor and Kilgore’s games.
However, Kilgore’s greatest inspiration is from his best friend who passed away last year from a heart malfunction, Michael Joseph Ford.
Kilgore writes MJF letters in black sharpie on his wristbands and shoes every game. “He was my best friend that passed away about a week before I came to [BC football] camp,” said Kilgore.
In Kilgore’s off time from school and football, he enjoys video games, wakeboarding and spending time with friends from home. Kilgore said that living with a few teammates, such as second-string quarterback Lyle Negron, gives him a stronger relationship with his teammates.
Kilgore is confident with his offensive line.
“We got a lot of good guys around me,” he said. “My whole line is very good. I think they’re ranked No. 1 in the state, based on sacks, least given up. Starting in the middle and then my backs do a great job on pass plays, picking up and then we got good receivers so it’s been easy, I’ve just got to give them the ball.”
Kilgore remarked about the team’s season, which includes a 6-1 record.
“We feel good because we feel like we control our own destiny,” he said. “As good as we’re going to play is how well we’re going to do, and if we’re clicking on all cylinders, it’s scary. We’re a good team.”
Kilgore mentioned that other teammates will say things but that “when it comes from a quarterback, it means a little bit more and I take that to heart. I’m the coach on the field.”
Kilgore spoke about last season’s struggle with BC’s quarterback situation to now being the clear starting quarterback this season.
“I grey-shirted here last year. It’s never [been] a thing that I’m not going to say I’m some hero and doing this amazing thing. All I’m doing is what coach [Carl] Dean says. He’s a smart guy. I think we can throw the ball as well as anybody in the state and run the ball, too. We’re scary when we’re working together.”
BC offensive coordinator Carl Dean had encouraging words about Kilgore.
“Last season he learned the offense from just being at practice every day and trying to absorb as much as he could. He worked hard and put the time in the off-season and he’s prepared himself properly. It’s helped him – what not to do and he learned what to do in certain situations.”
Dean added, “Right now, he’s playing smart. Our quarterback, we want to be an extension of our coaches and he’s doing that pretty well right now. He’s benefited from that greyshirt year.”
Dean also mentioned his leadership skills and how the team feels about him.
“He’s done a good job of leading the team, he’s certainly has the respect of his teammates.”
In BC’s Oct. 10 game at Hancock, the Renegades struggled against the Hancock offense late in the game and Kilgore explained why he likes having the ball in his hands on offense rather than the opposite.
“Sitting on the sideline for the last-second play is worse. It sounds weird, but I would have rather been the other guys on the 1-yard line going in because I want to be out there controlling my own fate. We haven’t had to yet, but that two-minute mode is when things start happening, and that’s when it’s fun.”
The future for Kilgore is hopefully football-filled, as Kilgore said, “I’d like to see myself in the NFL playing quarterback. In high school, people play sports to play ‘Friday Night Lights’ but when you come out to college, there’s nothing pushing you out here every single day unless you want to be out there on Sundays. In 10 years, I see myself playing on Sundays.”
Kilgore said there are several differences between high school and college, such as “everything just happens faster. The guys are bigger, stronger, and quicker and everything happens faster. At the same time I’m stronger, I’m bigger and I’m faster, [too].”
Kilgore spoke about BC’s Sept. 26 loss at Southern Californian powerhouse El Camino.
“I plan to see them again,” he said. “I think that we’re, offensively, already a different team than we were then. I know I’ve made a lot of mistakes, I made mental mistakes. We were pretty beat up going into that game, and they played well.”
Kilgore was reluctant to talk about playoffs with three games left. “Our goal every week is take it one week at a time,” he said, but added, “Going into playoffs, everything just kicks up.”
Kilgore listens mostly to hip-hop music before each game. Kilgore listens specifically to Nelly’s “Heart of a Champion” and fast-paced music from Lil’ Jon & East Side Boys. However, Kilgore said that in his car, when not getting prepared for a game, he listens to country.
Kilgore credits the whole BC team for winning the games so far into the season.
“I don’t need to be a superstar for us to be successful,” he said. “I just need to manage the game. I need to be a leader and put the ball where it needs to be put. That’s what it comes down to.”