Catching up to QBs near and far, from Sac State to Notre Dame, healthy and otherwise
As seasons wind down, we’re approaching blocking sleds near and far in a frenzied forward lean with heavy emphasis on quarterback play.
Sac State’s Kevin Thomson update
Anyone who has an ounce of compassion Saturday night at Hornet Stadium winced and felt for Kevin Thomson when he was nearly sheared in half by a blind-side sack in the first half against Weber State, which led 16-10 at the time and won 36-17.
The Sacramento State quarterback star had his head snapped back like a car-wreck whiplash. He sat on the turf for several moments, surrounded by team trainers and coach Troy Taylor, before gingerly leaving on his own power. Ever the competitor, Thomson snuck a peek over his shoulder to see backup Jake Dunniway lead a drive. Thomson did not return to the sideline but Taylor said Monday that his leader is “going to be OK. No broken bones or anything.”
Thomson is day-to-day, or, as Vin Scully once said, “aren’t we all?”
Sac State is 6-3 overall and 4-1 in the Big Sky Conference and is ranked eighth in the FCS. It plays at Northern Arizona on Saturday. Thomson has overcome injuries before, and he’s known by Taylor as the team’s gritty, “alley cat.”
QB coach remembers injury, Joe Montana
A day before Thomson went down, Sac State quarterbacks coach Bobby Fresques recalled pain and misery from his playing days.
As the Hornets quarterback in 1991, Fresques was crushed after a scramble at the University of the Pacific. He was placed into the back of an ambulance with initial fears that there could be paralysis.
“I was in a lot of pain, and the doctors said that was a good thing because it meant I could feel pain,” Fresques said. “You don’t feel anything with paralysis. It was scary.”
A 49ers doctor also working with Sac State players had Joe Montana phone Fresques in his hospital room for uplifting words.
“I thought it was a joke, but it was him,” said Fresques, who returned his senior season to start for the Hornets.
Taylor tough
Taylor has his own ouch story. As a freshman starter at Cal, Taylor suffered a broken jaw in a game at USC in 1986, though he likes to remind folks that he completed the pass, a beauty.
Taylor’s jaw was broken in two places. Two of his teeth were separated. His mouth was wired shut for a time, meaning a lot of liquid meals. Taylor wound up starting all four years at Cal, setting a bevy of career passing marks.
Oak Ridge star leads Chargers offense
Shane Steichen was a star quarterback at Oak Ridge High School who played at UNLV with visions of coaching.
He is now the chief play caller for the Los Angeles Chargers, promoted to offensive coordinator from quarterbacks last week during a coaching chang. Steichen, 34, called a good game as the Chargers piled up 442 yards and beat Green Bay for the first time since 1984, 26-11.
“Shane did an outstanding job,” Chargers coach Anthony Lynn told reporters after the game and added that Steichen’s strengths include, “his work ethic, his energy, his passion for this game. He knows what he’s doing. He’s a good, young coach. He’s going to be around for a long time.”
Steichen has long praised his prep coach – Chris Jones – as his most influential coach.
Book it wheels
We knew Ian Book had an arm, even back to his Oak Ridge prep days, but nice wheels, kid.
After taking heat all week for Notre Dame’s loss at Michigan the week before from fans who couldn’t run without faceplanting, Book got the Irish right back on track. He rushed for the game-winning score in the closing seconds to rally his bunch past Virginia Tech, 21-20.
“They’re going to love you when you win and they’re going to hate you when you lose,” Book told reporters afterward. “That’s part of growing up, part of nature. But again, I only care about the guys on the team. That’s it.”
Beaver ball
American River College defeated Butte 14-7 to move to 6-2 overall and 3-0 in the National NorCal standings as Marco Baldacchino hit Eric Davis for an 11-yard touchdown and Sivonte Jordan for a 9-yard strike.
Baldacchino is a sophomore starter out of Oak Ridge, blur quick on the run and a steady passer.
Ranked third in Northern California by the JC Athletic Bureau, ARC has played inspired ball since beloved head coach Jon Osterhout was sidelined with a health scare. Osterhout managed the Butte win from the press box while longtime assistants Lou Baiz and Ryan Gomes helped run things from ground level.
Osterhout has played a vital role in ARC’s rise to prominence. ARC plays at Shasta on Saturday.
This story was originally published November 5, 2019 at 4:39 AM.