Terry Walker’s chance has, finally, arrived.

Although the 6-4, 165-pound junior quarterback has gotten some action under his belt as a freshman and sophomore, he has been a backup for the past two seasons. But in 2024, that changes as he tries to lead the Lawrence Central Bears to a state championship – and give his recruiting a boost in the process.

“I’m really focusing on my weight and on getting faster,” said Walker, who has plenty of room for bulk. “Speed and strength are the focus, but I fully expect myself to have a breakout year. I’ve also been a student of the game and over the (offseason) break learning new things all the time. I can’t wait to showcase how much I’ve grown.”

Indiana high schools have produced plenty of quarterbacks in recent years and Walker is another key player in a loaded in-state quarterback class in 2026. Walker recently flashed a lot of potential at the Best of the Midwest Combine. Indiana hasn’t offered yet – in fact, nobody has – but with a good summer camp backed up by a strong junior campaign, the Hoosiers will definitely be vying for his services.

“I think the mentality of the new staff would make Indiana a good fit for me, and also the hospitality,” said Walker, who was on campus in January. “Knowing that they wanted me there and didn’t just Invite me just to say hi. My interactions with the new staff have been beautiful. I’ve ran into Coach Kuntz a few times and he is as enthusiastic and fun as it gets. He’s a great guy, I love being around him. And Coach Sunseri, you can tell her cares a lot and wants to win, which I believe they’ll be doing a good amount of this upcoming season.”

While eating lunch with a friend – Fishers (Ind.) wide receiver Jon-Anthony Hall – on the Bloomington campus, Walker and Hall received an unexpected visit from head coach Curt Cignetti.

“Coach Cignetti sat next to us and told us about our film in detail,” Walker said. “That was crazy to me because he wasn’t looking at a phone or anything. He was telling us what he remembered about each of our film in crazy good detail. I believe they truly have something good over there and would could definitely see myself as a part of that.”

Walker is a very athletic quarterback. In three-and-a-half games while backing up Army signee Bryson Luter, Walker was 47/87 for 750 yards, six touchdowns, two interceptions and one rushing touchdown. His goal is to become an analyst or color commentator for football games.

“I still want to be involved in the game and giving back to my community,” he said.