The rise of quarterback Ikaika Woolsey began with a fall.
During Tuesday’s full-pads scrimmage, Tuesday, Woolsey darted into the open field, exceeded the first-down marker and … slid?
"That’s a good thing to build on," quarterbacks coach Jordan Wynn said. "This offense doesn’t need for him to run over people. It needs for him to gain yardage, and then get down."
Since being named the No. 1 quarterback a week ago, Woolsey has proved he has the arm strength, elusiveness and comprehension to steer the Rainbow Warriors’ spread offense. On Tuesday, Woolsey showed he had the wisdom to know when enough is enough. Woolsey, who often weight-trained with linemen this summer, is a fearless scrambler.
"In high school, I was never one to slide," Woolsey said. "I felt I wanted to show my teammates I was tough, and that as a quarterback, I could take hits and deliver them. At the college level, the guys are a lot bigger and stronger and faster. I have to be smarter and take hits when I can or get down when I need to."
This camp, Wynn and head coach Norm Chow, who serves as the offensive coordinator, promoted "forward" thinking.
"When the pocket breaks down, he needs to go forward and not sideways," Chow said. By unofficial calculations, Woolsey did not complete a pass when he scrambled laterally during Tuesday’s scrimmage. He was perfect when he remained in the pocket, and effective when he scrambled upfield.
"When things break down, instead of running side to side, he needs to get up in the pocket and get 6, 7 yards," Wynn said. "That’s frustrating for a defense. That’s another dynamic they have to defend. (In Tuesday’s scrimmage) Ikaika did a good job getting up in the pocket, getting a few yards, then getting down."
Woolsey said throwing away passes to avoid sacks and sliding to elude tackles are part of the maturation process.
"I definitely learned a lot lately," Woolsey said. "I’m a quarterback, and I have to take care of my body. My mentality is I can take on anybody. That’s just how I am. That’s just how I play. At the end of the day, it’s a long season. I can’t be taking too many big hits. I have to get as many yards as I can and then hit the ground. My main job is to keep the team together, keep the offense together, keep it rolling. I can’t do it on the sideline being hurt."
Chow said there is no immediate decision on the No. 2 quarterback’s job between Jeremy Higgins and Taylor Graham. Chow said he might keep both at No. 2, and use the quarterback who best fits a specific game situation.
"There’s no reason to make a decision now," Chow said.
