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Qua Birdsong is a star for the Troup Tigers. The rising senior makes plays all over the football field, as a pass rusher, a linebacker, a tight end, you name it. 

“I started playing both sides of the ball halfway through my sophomore season,” Birdsong said. “It can be tiring, but I just love to go out there and play.” 

He is the ultimate team player, going whenever is necessary for the team. When the Tigers play teams like Starr’s Mill and Whitewater with the Wing T style offense, Birdsong transitions from his regular starting spot as a pass rushing defensive end to a middle linebacker where his responsibilities completely shift. 

“I love going against the running team and especially the triple option, it’s my favorite,” Birdsong said. “I love being out there at middle linebacker and getting to tee off on the run.”

All this versatility is what makes Birdsong a highly-coveted four-star recruit. The recruiting process has been a long journey for Birdsong, getting his first college offer during his freshman year and visiting some of the premium programs in the country.

“It is a lot for 15, 16 or 17 year old kids to handle and think about,” Birdsong said. “I’m just glad I got my decision out of the way before my senior season started, so I can just focus on winning a championship.”

Birdsong made his collegiate destination known earlier in 2023 when he decided the University of Cincinnati was the right fit for him. Some colleges debated whether Birdsong had the right size to play in college but not the Bearcats.

“I’m at about 188 (lbs) right now, and some of the schools didn’t think I was big enough.” Birdsong said. “[Cincinnati] saw my film, and they saw how good it was. They said they would take me how I am and I’m grateful for that.

“They were really genuine in the way they recruited me, and I could tell the coaches really cared about me and wanted me on the team.”

He will be far from home in Troup County, but his father hails from Ohio, which will allow some of his family members that have never seen him play football see him take the gridiron for the first time.

It was not hard to see why the Bearcats were interested in Birdsong, who put together a monster junior season. Despite playing in just 11 of 14 games for the Tigers, he was able to lead the team in total tackles with 49, tackles for a loss with 12.5 and forced fumbles (2). 

Birdsong is an absolute disrupter in all phases of the game. He blocked two punts on special teams and made countless other plays that did not show up in the stat sheet. He also caught seven passes for 44 yards and two touchdowns while opening up countless holes in the running game. 

“I love playing offense and going out there and getting the ball and not having to worry about hitting anybody,” Birdsong said with a chuckle.

Birdsong is already a two time All-State player and is in line for another appearance if he can build on his last two campaigns with the Tigers. With Birdsong getting bigger and stronger this offseason, there will be few betting against another big season from the soon-to-be senior. 

After so much individual success in his young football career, Birdsong is laser focused on team success, but he is not looking forward to competing for a spot in the College Football Playoff in the near future quite yet. Right now, he is focused on giving everything he has to furthering the team success that Troup enjoyed in his junior year. Winning a region title and making the AAAA state semifinals has just made Birdsong hungrier to bring the first football state title home to Troup.

“I’m very competitive, and I love to win,” Birdsong said. “If you ask any of the (Troup) coaches, they will tell you that I hate to lose. If you really love football, winning is all that matters.”