Vicksburg High quarterback Tavares Johnson, Jr. won Most Valuable Player honors at the National Underclassmen Combine last week in Pearl.

The rising junior — who transferred to Vicksburg from East Side in January — beat out 100 other attendees. Johnson was also selected as the top quarterback in his class. Johnson earns a trip to the Ultimate 100 camp in Atlanta, Ga., in June.

Tavares’ father, Tavares Johnson, Sr., is the new Vicksburg High football coach and said his son’s performance could be a harbinger of things to come for Vicksburg’s football program.

“Word is starting to get out that we’re doing things here,” Johnson, Sr., said. “Tavares was the MVP at a very competitive camp. The National Underclassmen Combine is a good proving ground to identify talented players. I always sent kids to it when I was at East Side. In fact, one of my former running backs, a sophomore named, Quadre Butler, was picked as the best running back in his class.”

Players at the combine were timed in variety of speed drills such as the 40-yard dash, shuttle runs, and agility runs. There were also drills for each specific position.

The younger Johnson shone brightly on a big stage.

“All the stuff I’ve learned about football, I put out there. I let my skills do the talking,” the rising junior quarterback said.

The signal caller is coming off two impressive seasons at East Side. Last season, he led East Side to a 14-1 record while passing for 2,836 yards and 28 touchdowns. In 2010, he threw 1,645 yards and 19 TDs, giving him 47 TDs and 4,481 yards in two years as a starting quarterback.

With just a few months in Vicksburg, the younger Johnson feels welcome. He will take the reins of the Gators offense in late April when spring practice opens.

“I feel like I’ve adapted to everybody here,” he said.

The Gators will start spring practice on April 30 and conclude it on May 18 with a jamboree.

The overall number of players doing offseason workouts is way up. Coach Johnson said he had 90 players at the end of last week after Vicksburg finished last season with 62 players.