RESERVE -- East St. John High coach Larry Dauterive nearly lost count. His office resembled a national college football coaches convention. In fact, the coaches couldn't fit, spilling over into an adjacent locker room on a rainy May afternoon at the school in St. John The Baptist Parish.
Why would 27 college coaches spend 15 minutes at a rain-soaked, deep-in-mud intrasquad scrimmage?
To see Ryan Perrilloux.
For coaches like LSU's Nick Saban, who traveled from an earlier speaking engagement in South Bend, Ind., the effort to get a glimpse of East St. John's 17-year-old quarterback paid off.
"We held a 20 minute pass (skeleton drill) before practice and those guys were mesmerized. The next Michael Vick?" Dauterive said, making a comparison to the Atlanta Falcons quarterback. "That's what they liken him to."
The commotion surrounding Perrilloux, a gifted 6-foot-2, 207-pounder armed with a rifle for a right arm and the speed of a running back, pales in comparison to the recruiting chaos that will follow the nation's top-ranked quarterback until he signs.
Perrilloux, ever the showman, intends to allow the drama behind his signature play out until February. He won't make a public commitment until then, choosing to sign with the college of his choice on Fox Sports Net's live "Countdown to Signing Day" show.
"I want to make a big deal with the hats," Perrilloux said.
Perrilloux will have had plenty of time to prepare for the intense glare of the national television cameras well before then.
Starting with his July 7 trip to take part in the Florida State football camp, ESPN has selected Perrilloux among 18 of the nation's top prospects to track for behind-the-scenes footage and interviews during his recruiting process.
Two years ago, ESPN caught eventual Florida signee Chris Leak in its cameras' crosshairs. This season, the Connecticut-based sports cable giant recognized an opportunity to surpass itself.
"He's got a lot of confidence, but he's pretty humble," Dauterive said. "I've never had one like that before and I've been in this for 36 years. I've never had one that good."
Adulation abounds
Perrilloux receives a Federal Express package every day from first-year Nebraska coach Bill Callahan. Oregon coach Mike Bellotti sent one of his assistant coaches 2,709 miles just to be on hand for Perrilloux's scrimmage.
"Mike Bellotti's infatuated with him," Dauterive said.
After signing two of the nation's top quarterbacks last year, legendary Florida State coach Bobby Bowden seemingly didn't have a need at that position.
Then he saw the highlights.
Dauterive created sent out a series of best-of-Perrilloux clips that have helped the quarterback accumulate a staggering 82 scholarship offers.
"He told me he is phenomenal," Dauterive said of Bowden's response. "He talked to Ryan for a half hour on the phone."
LSU offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher told Dauterive the effortless motion in which Perrilloux throws a football looks like he's " 'flicking a gnat off of his finger.' "
The tape perplexed Florida offensive coordinator Ed Zaunbrecher.
"(Zaunbrecher) was having trouble comparing other quarterbacks because he watched Ryan's tape first," Dauterive said.
Perrilloux left quite an impression on Texas coach Mack Brown after attending the Longhorns' camp earlier this month -- his first scheduled camp stop along with LSU, Florida State, Florida and Georgia.
"Mack said he's never seen anyone that accurate with the football," Dauterive said.
Maybe the ultimate tribute came from USC coach Pete Carroll after learning of Perrilloux's desire to make a decision in February.
"He told me they would hold a scholarship for him," Dauterive said.
A career interrupted
Perrilloux recalled having his first highlight tape put together at age 7.
"Back then I just thought I was bigger, taller and faster than everybody," Perrilloux said. "As I got older and into junior high I was still doing the same thing. I realized I was probably pretty good."
Perrilloux grew up playing football and baseball, but basketball became his favorite.
At 12, Biddy Basketball named Perrilloux "Mr. Biddy" -- symbolic of the world's best player according to Biddy Basketball -- an honor he believes will help him manage the impending recruiting crush.
Perrilloux, who attended powerhouse John Curtis in junior high, began his high school career at East St. John and immediately started for then-head coach Ronnie Stephens. As a freshman, he threw for 1,089 yards and seven touchdowns in a 3-7 season.
Before the paths of Perrilloux and Dauterive crossed four months later, Perrilloux found his life and athletic career in peril.
He suffered a gunshot wound -- the result of a prank gone awry the day after Christmas.
The bullet that exited the side of Perrilloux's body collapsed both of his lungs and hit five other organs, including his liver and stomach, but narrowly missed his heart. He later required a second surgery to clear a blood clot.
Two-and-a-half weeks later, Perrilloux left the hospital, 30 pounds lighter and wiser to the world.
A month later Perrilloux began playing basketball and suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus after going up for a dunk in an AAU game.
Doctors told Perrilloux, even with diligent rehabilitation, he might be able to return for the state playoffs in November.
Perrilloux returned to ESJ's starting lineup nearly three months ahead of schedule for a game against Lutcher.
"Before I was shot and tore my knee," Perrilloux said, "I was real stubborn. I had just won the starting job and people said I was snobbish. After I got shot it was like a rude awakening. After that I was a real nice person and more thankful."
Taking the offensive
It didn't take Perrilloux long to flourish in Dauterive's offense, a demanding wide-open attack developed in six years as an assistant at Louisiana Tech and in one season as offensive coordinator with the British Columbia Lions of the Canadian Football League where he coached Doug Flutie.
Perrilloux passed for 386 yards and rushed for another 208 in his first game, displaying extreme poise in the pocket but the escapability to elude defensive linemen and outrun linebackers and defensive backs.
With each game, Perrilloux became increasingly more comfortable and began to thrive in Dauterive's system of multiple formations and complex routes.
In two seasons there hasn't been a throw or read Perrilloux couldn't make, a testament to both his mental and physical capacity to handle the position's constant demands, Dauterive said.
"That's what they're trying to go to now, the type of quarterback that is multi-dimensional," Dauterive said. "This guy can get you on the corner. He can go as fast as a running back. The guy's a freak."
He's also a winner.
Perrilloux has helped elevate ESJ and keep pace in District 6-5A along with Class 5A state champion Hahnville and Destrehan, leading the Wildcats to a 17-5 record and a pair of state playoff appearances.
Perrilloux has also compiled astonishing statistics along the way.
As a sophomore, Perrilloux totaled 2,711 yards and 32 touchdowns. Perrilloux then amassed a staggering 3,678 total yards and 47 touchdowns as a junior -- passing for 2,404 and rushing for 1,274 despite missing the equivalent of two games because the outcome of some games was no longer in doubt.
"I had a couple of bad games," Perrilloux said. "I passed for 200 yards a couple of times. A bad game doesn't really look like a bad game compared to all of the other stats going around the state. A good game for somebody might be 250 yards and that might be a bad game for me."
Prepared for year ahead
Perrilloux hasn't relaxed in his approach to his senior season.
Four days a week, Perrilloux drives to New Orleans and works out with speed coach Tom Shaw of the two-time Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in hopes of lowering his 40-yard dash time below 4.5 seconds.
On his off day from Shaw, Perrilloux participates in a 7-on-7 passing league to advance not only his relationship with a set of new receivers and running backs, but improve his own skills such as ball faking and looking off of his primary receiving target.
It's all part of how Perrilloux -- the nation's No. 1 quarterback and No. 9 overall prospect by Rivals.com -- tries to stay ahead of the pack.
"It's fun being the No. 1 quarterback in the nation out of all the high schools," he said. "Out of all the players, you're the No. 1 quarterback. But it doesn't mean too much until you go out and win games. You go to work hard and you've got to get to the next level.
"The No. 1 college quarterback ... that would really mean something," he said. "Then you could get the big money. That's what I'm really working hard to get, a Heisman or something like that."
Perrilloux, who needs to improve his ACT score by one point to be eligible to play as a freshman, expects to pare his list of schools to 10 to 15 in July. By the end of his senior season he'll select the five schools for his official visits.
Then the nation's hottest recruiting battle will officially be under way.
Perrilloux said that his childhood favorite, Florida State, remains near the top of his list along with LSU, Texas, Florida and Georgia.
"I'm going to visit LSU because they're the hometown school, it's where everybody wants me to go," said Perrilloux, who estimates he attended six of LSU's spring practices and sat in on a quarterback's meeting. "If I do go to LSU it will be for a good reason, for the education and athletics."
Like most prized prospects, Perrilloux's no different than most when it comes to what he's looking for in a school. He wants to find exemplary facilities, a winning program and an offensive system to accentuate his skills.
However, Perrilloux doesn't shy away from competition. Loaded depth charts won't be a deterrent for someone taking on the nation's best in camps throughout the summer -- including the prestigious Elite 11 Quarterback Camp in Mission Viejo, Calif., in July.
"He wants that ball in his hand," Dauterive said. "I'm biased. I see him every day. I see him going to his left and throwing the length of the field and I'm amazed at how anybody can do that. In 36 years he's the best. I haven't seen any better."
