Meet Your Quarterback: Wes Lunt

Remember that Wes Lunt post I've been promising? Sure, a few weeks late, and probably not worth your time, but here nonetheless.

As we look to the 2012 version of our Cowboy football team, we go into the season knowing that for the first time since at least 1950 a true freshman will start the year at quarterback. First off, what does this say about the state of our quarterbacks? I think is says "damn you, Johnny asshole transfer Deaton, we need you", but that's just me. Probably, however, it says we have several good quarterbacks, and no great ones- which is not a huge deal, if the rest of the team is where we all think they will be (Bill Young, it's your time son, make me a believer or go to hell and stay there. Or Kansas).

It also says something about Mike Gundy. Every year he's been here he has molded the offense to fit a quarterback, and rolled with the best playmaker on the team. Now though, he's got a system he loves, and choose who best fit that system, not necessarily the best player. I don't mean that to say Lunt isn't the best quarterback (I think spring ball proved they were all pretty equal), but that we are not changing the offense for one player.

Now then, back to Lunt (let's get the easy stuff out of the way first). In high school Lunt won two state championships, missed a few games his senior year but came back to throw for 3,650 yards, 31 TD's (against 4 int's), and set a record with a 590 yard passing game. Sick stuff, but thats high school (which, I feel the need to mention again, he should still be in), as Pat Jones likes to say, this is big boy football.

You know the drill, click for more........

Lunt has an absolute cannon for an arm, and regardless of how skinny he looks, has to be in pretty good shape to come out of spring ball intact (Walsh had to sit out most of his first spring because he wasn't used to throwing as much). An offseason with Rob Glass should add 10 pounds of muscle, which brings him to about 6'3" and 220-230 pounds. Helping matters, and keeping him alive, is the small fact that he, unlike Walsh, doesn't run around a whole lot.

I hear you, I know what you're thinking, and you're right, I'm an asshole, but you're wrong thinking being shifty is an asset. This offensive line is used to running plays that keep a quarterback in the pocket, not rolling out and running Zac Robinson era counter options and zone reads (thank Jesus). Walsh would bring back the zone read, something we haven't done in a while.

I think Wes also offers the greatest headroom, and gives us the best chance to win not only this year, but the next 2-3 years. If Chelf can't beat out two freshman now, after 3 years in the program, he's not going to next year. I think we need to find a way to get Walsh in the offense, but not at qb (but yes, keeping him as a backup qb. I'm crazy, I know). Given the schedule as well, Lunt will have 3 games to get his feet under him before taking on Texas.

At the end of the season, I think our team will be defined by a strong running game and hard hitting defense more than we will the play of our quarterback. Hell yes, the quarterback play is important, but one player can't win or lose a game. I think he will be fine (2500 yards, 20 TD's, 10 int's), I think we will be a factor in the Big 12 race (I'm thinking finishing 3rd or 4th, depending on TCU), and I do think we have our quarterback for the next 3-4 years. Now go Wes, don't make me a liar.

Go Pokes