Quarterback applications being reviewed

Jays go into fall practice with a quarterback battle between four

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Posted July 28, 2009

This is my first "Birds Eye View" column as I and many of a million folk are waiting for the football season to come around. Not much longer until we finish up a work week, come home, and head out to see some Friday Night Lights.

The BlueJay football team has more questions this season then they have in the past year or two, but what program doesn't? Will O-State be able to stop anyone on defense? Can you name an OU offensive linemen.

Guthrie is looking for a quarterback and applications are currently being reviewed by the Jays coaching staff. The list has been narrowed down to four.

Christian Lamb, Hayden Seiftert, Kentrell Brothers, and Bryan Dutton all bring different skills to the quarterback spot that has been the focus point since Rafe Watkins came to town in 2001.

Guthrie has been very athletic, in the gun, with names like DeMarko Jones, Josh Chappell, Brent Hodge, Kye Staley, and Keaton Callins. Bryce Gates and Michael Hayes aided the Jays in their senior season's. Hayes helped Jones mature while Gates allowed Staley to mature at the position.

Brothers is the more athletic applicant this season and seems like a natural fit, but may prove to be more valuable elsewhere to allow the Jays to be more unpredictable. Brothers was a force in freshmen football at the QB slot and made it look easy at times.

A good quarterback does not mean the best athlete.

What about a quarterback that makes few mistakes and moves his team down the field in 10-12 plays? I know both Lamb and Seifert are smart student-athlete's and seem to fit that role nicely.

"Kentrell is more athletic than the three. If things were to break down he is bigger, stronger and faster than the other two. But, Christian knows the offense better, and Hayden is in between and can do a little bit of running and he's not a bad thrower, and is still learning," Watkins said.

Dutton is the wild card in the 4-horse race and appears to me as the future quarterback. Whether the future is in a month, or a year. The incoming freshmen has a very big upside at Guthrie High, whether it be football, wrestling, or baseball, but varsity quarterback may be to much too soon.

Kye Staley was thrown into that role, as a freshmen, due to injuries, and took his bumps and bruises. However, Staley did turned out okay I suppose, but he shared time with Demarcus Davis and Gates early in his career.

"This may sound crazy but these two scrimmages will be as big for us at quarterback as it has been since my first year when we had Michael Hayes and DeMarko Jones," Watkins said.

Watkins and offensive coordinator Scott Mick are so good at scouting the other teams defensive tendencies and scheme's and that leads me to think we will see multiple quarterbacks this season. Watkins has used the dual threat before and says he's not opposed to using it again, but wants to see someone take the spot over with play on the field.

I, on July 28th and not one practice in the book, believe Brothers will be taking the last snap in the last game of the year for the Jays. But then again, that does not mean he will be the starting quarterback either.

I always did love playing on the teeter totter.

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