Coaches are searching for tomorrow's QBs today

Sporting News, The, May 26, 1997 by Tom Dienhart, Mike Huguenin

A lot of coaches have been to Florida this month, and, no, they weren't headed to the beach or Disney World or one of the many golf courses.

Instead, they've been on the recruiting trail, as May is an "open month" for recruiting. Thus, coaches have been out in force in Florida, Texas, Mississippi, California ... really, anywhere there's a legitimate Division I-A player.

Coaches have been allowed to watch players practice (in states that have spring workouts), look at film and talk to high school coaches. But under NCM rules, college coaches aren't allowed to talk to players in May: direct contact isn't allowed until December. Indeed, after May, the. next evaluation period isn't until October; schools are permitted a total of nine evaluation days in October and November.

Although recruiting gets intense attention from most fans in January and early February, May is a vital weeding-out period for coaches; players can be dropped--and added--to a college's list because of what is seen this month. And what most coaches are seeing is a senior class that will be heavy on star-quality quarterbacks. Recruiting analysts say there are as many as 20 quarterbacks in this class who have pro-type potential. Names you're sure to hear in the coming months include Ronald Curry of Hampton, Va.; Tyler Watts of Pelham, Ala.; Jason Thomas of Compton, Calif.; Adam Dunn of New Caney, Texas; and Steve Cutlip of Arvada, Colo.

Curry is seen as the cream of the crop. He was a first-team USA Today All-American last season, a rarity for a junior. Curry, who stars in a pass-happy offense at Hampton High, also is a top-notch point guard. His two-sport prowess reminds some observers of another Hampton native-- 76ers guard Allen Iverson, who was a quarterback/point guard at Hampton's Bethel High. Unlike Iverson, Curry will focus on football in college.

One of the best quarterbacks in the class already has made his college decision. Drew Henson of Brighton, Mich., has committed to Michigan Henson's father is the offensive coordinator at Eastern Michigan. Another quarterback who has ties to the Wolverines is Dane Fife of Clarkston, Mich., whose brother, Dugan, played basketball in Ann Arbor. Dane, though, probably is headed to Duke.

Other positions where coaches should be able to find a ton of talent include offensive line and linebacker. Conversely, wide receiver is considered a weak position.

If it's May, it's Heisman time

The first Heisman mailing has arrived for the 1997 season, and it extols the virtues of Navy quarterback Chris McCoy.

McCoy certainly is effective in running the Middies' run-oriented spread offense. He rushed for 1,228 yards last season in leading Navy to a 9-3 record and an Aloha Bowl victory over California. But it's hard for us to think a quarterback who completed 49 passes last season--that's his season total in 109 attempts (a completion percentage of .450)--is a legit Heisman contender.

Extra, extra

The recent announcement that Wyoming would play at Ohio State in the Eddie Robinson Classic on August 28 gives Wyoming a chance to play 15 games this season. The Cowboys have 13 games scheduled. But they could also play in the WAC championship game and in a bowl; if so, they would become only the second team in history--last season's BYU team was the other--to play 15 games in a season.

The Robinson Classic isn't quite along the lines of a Kickoff Classic or Pigskin Classic. It is scheduled on the first big week end of games; the Kickoff and Pigskin games are scheduled for the weekend before. But the Robinson game--which will benefit the Black Coaches Association--does allow a team to play an extra regular-season game, as do the two preseason games.

One problem, though: None of the "extra games" appears particularly appealing. The Kickoff Classic matches Syracuse and Wisconsin (the over-under on the total passes attempted will be 35). But it will be fun to watch an early-season showdown of Heisman candidates. The Badgers' Ron Dayne runs with the grace and subtlety of a runaway boulder while the Orangemen's Donovan McNabb is a runner/passer extraordinaire who conjures memories of former Syracuse greats Don McPherson and Marvin Graves.

The Pigskin offers Northwestern and Oklahoma The Wildcats' backfield has been decimated by the loss of tailback Darnell Autry and quarterback Steve Schnur and the defense must replace both tackles and inside linebackers. That could create an opening for the Sooners, who have a bigtime tailback in De'Mond Parker. Oklahoma also should benefit in that for the first time in three years, it will begin a season with the same coaching staff.

The Robinson Classic could be the worst of the early-season appetizers. Despite Wyoming's fine season last year, when it finished 10-2 and lost to BYU in the WAC title game, the Cowboys--who are breaking in a new coaching staff headed by former Kansas State offensive coordinator Dana Dimel--aren't in OSU's class even if the Buckeyes are replacing eight defensive starters.

Tom Dienhart and Mike Huguenin cover college football for THE SPORTING NEWS. E-mail them at colfb@sportingnews.com and see their responses at www.sportingnews.com and on our AOL site (keyword: TSN).