MT. ORAB, Ohio — In a small town just east of Cincinnati, Mt. Orab residents are beaming with pride as Western Brown High School quarterback Drew Novak is having a season for the history books, beating not only Ben Roethlisberger but also Joe Burrow in passing yards in a season. 

​​​In Mt. Orab, Novak is what everyone’s talking about.

“You can go ask him how many passing yards he has and he has no idea," Nick Osborne, head coach of the Western Brown football team, said.

But his coach knows — so far, 4,886 yards, which would put him seventh all-time in OHSAA history, passing Burrow and Roethlisberger. Burrow had 4,437 yards for the Plains in 2014. Roethlisberger had 4,041 yards in 1999 for Findlay.

Novak said he didn’t even know it in the moment. 

“I found out the Joe Burrow record on Twitter the next day, I got tagged in something," Novak said. "And just to be in a conversation with a guy like that is awesome. I never thought that would happen.”

The Western Brown QB says while he didn’t know he broke the record, he’s been enjoying his success so far.

“I really like it," Novak said. "All the little kids coming up to me and saying 'good job' and everything, high-fiving me, all the fans are really great.”

And to say this season has been successful for the Broncos is an understatemen. The team’s regional final appearance this Friday is the furthest the team has ever gone in the playoffs, beating last year's second-round appearance. 

“It shows you how hard our kids have worked," Osborne said. "From two years ago going 2-8, now making the regional finals at 11-2, right now is something special.”

And while much of that success comes from Drew Novak, it also comes from who he’s throwing it to. One of his receivers is his older brother, Dylan.

“Our chemistry is crazy," Drew Novak said. "I know what he’s thinking, he knows what I’m thinking and it really helps us on the field.”

“I feel like we’ve got a connection," Dylan Novak said. "Just growing up together always playing basketball, baseball, whatever with each other.”

Dylan Novak says this year has been nothing short of special for him and Drew.

“I’m very proud of him," Dylan Novak said. "He’s very humble about it. I’d say I brag more about it than he brags about himself.”

The all-time leading single season passer in OHSAA history is Kenton's Benjamin Mauk, who threw for 6,540 yards in 2002. After starting off at Wake Forest, Mauk finished his time in college at Cincinnati.