CORINTH -- When James Franklin was in seventh grade, he told Lake Dallas coaches he wanted to play quarterback.

“They said no,” Franklin said. “I was too big. And I was kind of upset because I always, always wanted to play quarterback.”

In eighth grade he got shot down again.

“So in ninth grade,” Franklin said, “I just stopped asking if I could play quarterback.”

Turns out, fate would do the talking and convincing for him.

While playing wide receiver and defense, Franklin’s freshman team lost its first four games of the season.

At the time, current Lake Dallas tight end Jake Baine was playing quarterback but the losing streak prompted coaches to finally let Franklin play the triggerman role.

“We ended up winning district and now here I am,” Franklin said. “But I did feel bad because I took Jake’s spot.”

The two still joke about it three years later.

“Jake is always like, ‘If it wasn’t for me and my non-quarterbacking skills, you wouldn’t be playing right now,’” he said. “We laugh about it a lot.”

They also smile because of the success Franklin has had.

Now in his second season as the starting quarterback for Lake Dallas, Franklin and the Falcons are headed to the playoffs and sit in second place in District 5-4A entering tonight’s game against Denton.

“When we made the move to put him at quarterback,” said Lake Dallas coach Michael Young said, “we quickly realized that it was a great move. Obviously it has turned out to me a good move for us.”

Franklin is touted as one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country and will be headed to Missouri after his high school career is over.

“He is playing at the next level because he is a big-time competitor,” Young said. “When he gets to that level, coaches will love him because he does not get rattled or scared.”

Last season, he threw for 2,464 yards, rushed for 1,151 yards and accounted for 29 touchdowns.

This season the 6-2, 218-pounder hasn’t slowed down.

He has passed for  1,722 yards, rushed for 917 yards and has matched his touchdown total of last year at 29 with two regular season games left and the playoffs looming.

In the last two seasons, he has also led Lake Dallas to two wins over Ryan and one over Guyer.

“One thing about James is he plays really well in the big games,” Young said. “He shows up. Hopefully when we get in the playoffs he can continue to play big and put together a nice string of games.”

But Franklin is as humble as any high school athlete fans may come across.

He doesn’t count his stats. He has no idea how many touchdowns he has and he does not study the Saturday morning box scores.

“I really do think this game we play is about the team,” he said. “People like to talk about James this or James that. I definitely like helping the team out and I wish the team got more credit than what they do. People just like to look at me. But really it is the team that makes me.”

A solid family life has also shaped Franklin’s outlook, he said. He said his three sisters, Natalie, 26, Janelle, 22, and Rachelle, 19, are the reason he is so active.

His mom is the reason he is healthy, well-rested and well-mannered. And his dad is the reason he is respectful and confident.

“My family is very important to me,” he said. “They make me happy. They are why I am who I am.”

Growing up, Franklin traveled with his family to do missionary work all over the country.

Some of the places he has visited include California, Memphis, Chicago and Papua New Guinea.

Those trips are where Franklin learned to be a leader and where he built traits he uses every day in the classroom and on the football field.

“It was fun traveling with my dad,” Franklin said. “He would always make me lead in the singing. I wasn’t the best at singing, but he did it to help me confidence-wise. “

Franklin’s dad also played college football at Oklahoma as a wide receiver and backup quarterback.

“My dad and I growing up would always play catch and I would always want to show him off in front of my friends,” Franklin said. “So I would go 70 or 80 yards down the field and he would chunk it to me. Then I would throw it back to him and that is how I developed my arm. My dad taught me football.”

His dad has also taught Franklin how to me mentally focused and not distracted. He is not the typical high school quarterback.

“I’m not really active with the high school social scene,” he said. “I work out and do stuff with my youth group. I don’t go to parties or do anything like that. I just kind of keep to myself.”

Franklin plans to move to Columbia, Mo., in January after he graduates high school early next month.

Classes will also be just as important as his football life when he walks the college campus. In high school he used to carry a 4.0 grade-point average, but now he sports a 3.8.

“Chemistry was a little tough,” he said. “I struggled a little bit.”

He plans on majoring in mechanical or electrical engineering but also has thoughts of going into the communications field. He also has set a goal of reaching the NFL.

“That is a long way away, but my plans are to work hard and make it to the NFL,” he said. “But we will see how it goes. Maybe something I learn in college will be better for me.”

MATTHEW MUENCH can be reached at 940-566-6869. His e-mail address is mmuench@dentonrc.com.