California QBs still golden
The first article that Rivals100 West wrote way back in the spring of 2002 we profiled quarterbacks from the Golden State. Well we’re back with an update on how we fared with our list of top quarterbacks. We think you’ll agree we did pretty well.
Here is our list in alphabetical order:
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Dennis Dixon (6-4, 180, 4.5) from San Leandro, Calif., has not disappointed. As a matter of fact Dixon has been fantastic. So far this season Dixon 91 of 143 for 1,505yards completing 63.6 percent of his passes while throwing for 19 touchdowns and only 5 interceptions.
Dixon has kept up his winning ways too. San Leandro is 7-0 and 40-3 over the past four seasons with Dixon as starter and all three loses came at the hands of Concord (Calif.) De la Salle in the playoffs.
Dixon has several offers and has set up trips to Oregon State (11-23), Washington (12-14), Oregon (12-20) and USC (1-17).
Tommy Grady (6-6, 215, 4.9) from Huntington Beach (Calif.) Edison hasn’t had it as easy as Dixon. Edison is young and inexperienced at both the offensive line and at wide receiver.
Not a good mix for a quarterback. On almost every pass play Grady has to get on his horse and run because the pass blocking has been so porous. To make matters worse his receivers have had a penchant for dropping passes. Grady averages about eight dropped passes a game.
Ever the great leader Grady takes it all in stride and has never complained.
We have stats for the first six of Grady games. He has hit on 83 of 155 passes for seven touchdowns and five interceptions.
Grady committed to Oklahoma last summer and the Sooners won’t be sorry. He throws the sweetest we have seen this season. Once he gets D-I coaching and has playmakers around him he is going to be great.
Oklahoma won the services of Grady over Miami, Florida State, Florida, USC and UCLA.
The only person we weren’t able to reach for an updated was Sam Keller (6-4, 210, 4.8) from San Ramon (Calif.) San Ramon Valley. He made Michigan Wolverine fans happy when he committed to Big Blue over Notre Dame, ASU, Illinois and Kansas State last July.
The Wolverines get a quarterback who has all the intangibles to be a big time player. Keller has the competitive nature that you love to see in a quarterback.
Add that with his arm and you have the making of a big time quarterback.
Keller’s position coach will be Scott Loeffler, who Brian Griese (Denver) and Tom Brady (New England) give credit for their development.
The unofficially we have Keller throwing for approximately 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns. Keller and his San Ramon teammates are 6-1 on the season.
Richard Kovalcheck (6-3, 207, 4.7) from San Diego (Calif.) St. Augustine was another one who looked like an inexperienced surrounding cast would hinder his performance. That was not the case.
Kovalcheck is the leader of an offense that averages 32 points per game. St. Augustine is only throwing the ball around 15 or 20 times because St. Aug has the leading rusher in San Diego County in Todd Newell.
Kovalcheck has thrown for 1,080 yards and six touchdowns with only two picks while completing 57 percent of his passes. Maybe the most impressive stat is his shortest touchdown pass is of 17 yards. Because the rushing game has been so good St. Aug pounds the ball once they get in the red zone.
Kovalcheck has already taken to visits to Colorado and Notre Dame. Cal, Tennessee and Oregon are in line for the last visit.
T.C. Ostrander (6-5, 208, 4.8) from Atherton (Calif.) Menlo-Atherton was a sleeper going into the recruiting process. After some impressive showings at combines he began to wake up some giant programs.
Ostrander’s first offer came in from Oregon State and he received a steady flow of offers after that. ASU, Colorado, K-State, Oregon and Stanford soon followed with offers. Ostrander achieved a life long dream when he committed to Stanford. He virtually grew up in Stanford’s back yard.
We have stats for Ostrander’s first six games. He is 84 for 125 while hitting on 67.2 percent of his passes for 1,301 yards with 18 touchdowns and only six picks.
Kyle Wright (6-4, 205, 4.65) from Danville (Calif.) Monte Vista came out of the box as the nation’s number one quarterback prospect and he has done nothing but back up our claim.
Wright is leading Monte Vista to a perfect 7-0 record and he has been nothing short of sensational. Last week against an overmatched Livermore team Wright was a perfect 9 for 9; throwing for 234 yards and three touchdowns.
On the year Wright has now thrown for over 1,600 yards with 18 touchdowns and has only thrown one pick. Wright has also tallied six rushing touchdowns on the season.
No wonder fans of the Miami Hurricanes are licking their chops in anticipation for the arrival of another golden arm quarterback from the Golden State.
Wright chose the Miami Hurricanes over USC and Tennessee last September. Wright was impressed by the Hurricane football program, the player’s relationships with the coaches and the school.
Well there you have folks. Four out of six have already committed to major schools and the two that are still in the recruiting process are being recruited by major schools.