They go way back.

Their connection, though, has really grown the past three years.

Ryan Boe and Batavia offensive coordinator Sean Anderson don’t complete each other’s sentences, but they do speak the same language — quarterback — which has fostered a bond that served them, and the Bulldogs, well.

“It’s nice when you can rerun the page a little bit,” Anderson said. “As a coach on the field, there were times he changed plays, and he was pretty much right on the money when he did that.”

Two weeks ago, Boe completed his third season as Batavia’s starting quarterback. The 2023 Beacon-News/Courier-News Player of the Year led the Bulldogs (11-2) to the semifinals of the Class 7A playoffs.

Statistically, the 6-foot3, 200-pound Boe saved his best for last, completing 66% of his passes (188 of 287) for 2,977 yards and 33 touchdowns with just three interceptions. The North Dakota State recruit also ran for 491 yards and 10 TDs.

“He was phenomenal, just the work he put in every year,” Batavia coach Dennis Piron said. “And to be honest, I don’t think he’s received anywhere near the notoriety he deserves.

“He’s definitely in the conversation for best quarterback in the state of Illinois.”

Boe was in fifth grade when he met Anderson. Boe’s parents, Mike and Jodi, took him to Jeff Christensen’s Throw it Deep for quarterback training.

Anderson, who walked on and earned a scholarship at Illinois, was in his second year on Batavia’s coaching staff and moonlighting at the facility.

“I remember working with coach Anderson on just the basics,” Boe said of the few sessions they had together. “When I got to high school, I learned a lot more. It’s been really gratifying.

“(Anderson) has been through it. He has a lot of knowledge.”

Boe played on the freshman level in a pandemic-shortened rookie season that was delayed until spring and then won a competition for the starting varsity job the following summer.

“He played extremely well as a sophomore, ending with that classic playoff game at Mount Carmel,” Piron said of a game that ended on an untimed down. “And the next year, we made it to the state championship.”

Boe passed for 1,664 yards as a junior and 1,481 yards as a sophomore, with 16 TDs each season. He combined for 11 interceptions those two years.

And he remembers every pick.

“I’m definitely happy with only throwing three interceptions this year,” Boe said. “It’s one of the things I’m most happy with — that TD-to-interception ratio.

“I can go through every one. You always think about it. Some were just chucking it up there deep at the end of a half, but during the game, you have to move on to the next play. You can’t sit and dwell on it.”

Anderson said Boe improved every season.

“But junior to senior year was when we hit the ground with a lot of our off-field stuff,” Anderson said.

It included video study of every play from Boe’s junior season, with Anderson grading his quarterback on several factors.

“Ryan was my first full-time, two-year and then three-year starter,” Anderson said. “I hadn’t coached a two-year starter before. As good of a player as he is, he’s just as good a kid, and the same is true of this senior group.”

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Boe’s connection with North Dakota State coach Matt Entz and quarterbacks coach Randy Hedberg has grown, too.

Last spring, Boe committed to the Football Championship Subdivision powerhouse that has had quarterbacks Carson Wentz, Easton Stick and Trey Lance drafted by NFL teams since 2016.

“Ryan was on their radar early in the process,” Anderson said. “They only offer one quarterback a year, and it was Ryan for this class. They did their homework.

“I’ve heard their coaches speak a couple times, and a lot of our offense is developed to emulate what they do, so Ryan has some familiarity with it.”

Last weekend, Boe made his official visit and saw the Bison win a first-round playoff game 66-3 over Drake. It merely cemented his decision.

“I feel good about my choice,” he said. “The communication was great. Every coach, no matter what their position, gets to know you.”

Those connections continue.