TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Gulf Quarterback Taking Control

ADVERTISEMENT

By RICK HARMON

Tribune correspondent

Published: November 26, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - There aren't many high school quarterbacks who get the experience Gulf's Madison Burr got Friday against St. Cloud in the Class 3A region quarterfinals.

The junior, a two-year starter, was handed the playbook and told to run with it. For three quarters in the Bucs' 49-35 victory, Burr called every play.

"He's kind of been in a neutral state recently. He's been begging for something but he's so shy he's not going to ask," Gulf offensive coordinator Brian Wright said. "I've coached a lot of quarterbacks and he was ready for the next step. He doesn't show a lot of expression, but during the walk-through I could see that gleam in his eyes that he was waiting for me to do that. The results were obvious."

Burr led Gulf to 461 yards of offense, including 85 rushing yards of his own. He called only five pass plays, completing two for 46 yards. But with Adrian Golden and Will Burbridge - and Burr - in the backfield, you don't have to throw the ball much.

"It made me feel comfortable about the game," Burr said. "And once I got all my plays down, it kept going well. I was able to see their weaknesses up the middle and played on that. Our line blocked really well and our backs ran hard. I'll take my share of that."

Burr scored on a 63-yard keeper in the second quarter. He also scored the first touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run, threw for two 2-point conversions and ran for another.

"His play-calling was unbelievable," Wright said. "I was critiquing everything he did and I told Jay Fulmer, Gulf head coach, 'You're pretty good. I'm pretty good. But he might be better than both of us.' Some guys can and some can't. Nobody sees it better on the field than the quarterback. I told him to find the holes and go to them and he did. When they feel like they have control of the offense, I think they work a little harder."

Fulmer decided to have Wright take back the playbook in the fourth quarter. With the Bucs leading 49-21, Fulmer wanted to go into clock-management mode; the only quarter Gulf didn't score in against St. Cloud was the fourth.

This week in Round 2 of the Gulf-Pasco rivalry, Wright has another wrinkle for Burr - provided he can play. Burr showed up at practice on crutches Monday with a swollen left knee. If he's able to play, Wright plans to let him call the plays - and call audibles.

"This week, we're going to add the audible system ... take it to the next step," Wright said. "That way, he can change things at the line of scrimmage. He's ready for it."

If Burr cannot play, sophomore Jacob Jackson will start. Jackson has thrown only four passes this season but was the starter in the Bucs' 52-28 win against Ridgewood, a game in which Golden rushed for 432 yards.

Correspondent Rick Harmon can be reached at tampabaystringer@gmail.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT