Gastineau quarterbacks the 5-1 Liberty Eagles from the Mountain View-Birch Tree School District. The no-huddle, spread offense is averaging 4 touchdowns and 355 yards per game. The success of the multiple-option, misdirection-based attack is based on Gastineau, with the help of his coaches, making the right play call in reading the defense at the line of scrimmage.

"The quarterback is very important because you've got to set up basically a two-man basketball game," said Eagles head coach Darin Acklin. "We try to pick on mismatches because, when you've got athletes out there, it's one-on-one basketball, and if you're not going to defend it, we'll find a way to get the ball to 'em."

Although the offense has elements of the old triple option, it's named the spread because the purpose is to spread the field horizontally, forcing the defense to spread itself thin across the field, and opening up vertical seams for a runner or receiver to take exploit. It's not easy to run but Gastineau isn't concerned about the read-and-react decisions that are made on every play.

"I've been running it since the seventh grade," he said. "So it's pretty easy for me right now."

And obviously, it's working fine as more and more high school offenses across the Ozarks are going to the spread in ever increasing numbers.