Football stigma, ‘If you have two QBs, you have none,’ not true here
ATHERTON — Don’t expect Menlo-Atherton coach Steve Papin to adhere to this old football adage: “If you have two quarterbacks, you have none.”
On the Bears’ first snap of last week’s 47-23 victory over Terra Nova in Pacifica, sophomore Matt MacLeod tossed a lateral to junior transfer Raymond Price III.
The end result? An 84-yard touchdown to slot receiver JD Carson, left uncovered on a corner route.
“Everyone was going crazy,” MacLeod said.
“I’ve had two quarterbacks the last three years, so I know the system, I know how it works,” said Papin, a former Arena Football League running back for the San Jose SaberCats who spent the previous five years as the coach at Independence High. “And I truly believe that saying is if you have two drop-back passers, or I have two scramblers, then you have none. I have two totally different quarterbacks that have different attributes, so, to me, it’s a blessing and we’re going to try to use it to our advantage.”
MacLeod is a 5-foot-11, 170-pound pro-style quarterback. In six starts for the Bears, a 2018 state champion, he’s thrown for 1,137 yards and 10 touchdowns, with only two interceptions.
Price is a 6-foot, 190-pound dual-threat QB. As a crosstown transfer from Sacred Heart Prep, a state-sanctioned sit-out period of four games limited his reps at practice as the coaching staff also deployed him on the scout team.
“It was kind of weird,” Price said. “But I think it will definitely help me playing against the first team every week, getting me mentally prepared because our defense is pretty elite. I think it’s one of the best in the Bay Area.”
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St. Ignatius coach John Regalia isn’t juggling quarterbacks, but he has a choice in Teddye Buchanan (6-2, 215) and Zach Taylor-Smith (6-2, 210) — each of them seniors.
“They both embraced the situation and I think they’ve handled it really well,” Regalia said. “Regardless of who’s in there, they support each other, they challenge each other, they compete with each other and want to see each guy do well, because that means we’re doing well.”
Buchanan, a three-star recruit as an outside linebacker with offers from Colorado State, San Diego, San Jose State and UC Davis, accounted for two passing and two rushing touchdowns in a 35-26 victory over St. Francis. The outcome snapped a seven-year skid against the Lancers.
In order to rest his two-way standout, Regalia can rely on Taylor-Smith to run the offense.
“The situation we’re in is that we have two very capable kids that can play,” said Regalia, whose trick play near the end of the first half against St. Francis resulted in a 40-yard completion from Taylor-Smith to Buchanan on a double pass. “We have a starter and we have a second-string guy, but we’re very confident in both.”
M-A views its 1-2 punch at QB as a partnership that can alternate on a weekly basis depending on the game plan.
“This is more of a collaboration,” Papin said. “I’m not going to open up a competition as far as who’s better, who’s worse, who’s going to play. And I’ve talked to both of them, and I can almost guarantee both of them are going to play in every game.”
Papin developed a package to get Price acclimated to the offense after the sit-out period.
In his M-A debut, a 46-13 victory over Arroyo Grande, his only throw was an incompletion. A couple of long TD runs were nullified by penalties. Last week at Terra Nova, in limited action Price finished 4-of-6 for 158 yards and tossed three TDs.
“He has what I call ‘You-can’t-coach-it’ ability,” Papin said. “Bad snap, he’s able to make things happen. If things break down, he can make plays with his legs. Things that you can’t coach, and I think that does open it up for everyone because you’re going into a game needing to prepare for two different quarterbacks.”
Price understands how his versatility impacts play on the field.
“It’s a lot of fun using both quarterbacks because you keep the defensive coordinators on their toes,” he said. “They don’t know what we’re going to do, so they have to stay prepared for whatever we throw at them.”
Against Arroyo Grande, it was MacLeod’s turn to shine. He finished 17-of-21 for 294 yards and three TDs.
But it’s his influence in the huddle that has earned MacLeod a role as co-captain.
“Matt can make all the throws, he has an eye for reading defense,” Papin said. “I think the thing I’ve seen is his leadership. Even though he’s a sophomore, he’s come in and tried to get guys in the right page and the right spot.”
Just like at St. Ignatius, there is no quarterback controversy at M-A to fracture the locker room.
It appears as if two quarterbacks are better than one.
“At practice, we’re always competing, trying to make each other better,” MacLeod said. “We’re fighting for that spot, but at the end of the day we’re just collaborating as a team and make it harder for our opponent.”
• Of note: In Friday’s 7 p.m. showdown between No. 18 Sacred Heart Prep (5-1) at No. 15 Menlo-Atherton (3-3), the scouting report for M-A’s defensive coordinator will include help from the QB transfer.
“I’m going to give him all the intel, everything I remember,” Price said.
The game plan, though, won’t be affected because of the close ties.
“We’re definitely not going to just play him because it’s Sacred Heart,” Papin said. “This is a team. And I know his emotions will be running wild, but he’s a professional. He’ll get it done. He knows what to do to accomplish the goals on Friday night.”
Expect both quarterbacks at M-A to make an impact, with two better than one, rather than none.
“It’s definitely going to be fun, it’s going to be nice seeing the guys again,” Price said. “I’m definitely looking forward to playing them, seeing what they have in store for me.”