Wake Forest (N.C.) Heritage High head coach Wallace Clark doubles as his team’s defensive coordinator, and in that capacity he has a love-hate relationship with his junior starting quarterback and NC State commit Lex Thomas.

On the one hand, on game day Thomas, in his first season on varsity, has led Heritage to a 6-0 start by completing 80 of 115 passes (69.6 percent) for 1,266 yards and 17 touchdowns with just three interceptions and running for a pair of scores.

On the other hand, in practices, Thomas makes life difficult for Clark, the defensive coach.

“I tell him sometimes at practice, ‘Lex, I don’t like you,’” Clark joked. “Being a defensive coordinator, I’m trying to find out why he is picking these guys apart in practice.”

There’s a reason though, which Clark has figured out.

Thomas simply has that “it” factor in a quarterback.