Stewart firmly entrenched as MCA starter
MOUNT CARMEL - The murmurs followed new Mount Carmel head coach Carm DeFrancesco like a bad penny.
What was he going to do at quarterback? Last year's starter Eddy Stewart underperformed. Was he going to open up the position?
As a junior, Stewart led the Tornadoes to a 7-5 record and an Eastern Conference championship, but following up a pure passing machine, as Marcus Wasilewski was, Stewart's athleticism and promise weren't enough to keep the ardent Mount Carmel fans quiet once there was a new ear in town to bend.
"Everywhere I've gone that's what people have talked about, that's all they talked about," DeFrancesco said about the constant chirping regarding Stewart.
In his first year starting, Stewart completed just 36 percent of his 100 attempts, passed for 507 yards and only three touchdowns, while learning not just how to be a starter, but also a new system in what turned out to be Bob Chesney's only year at the helm of the Tornadoes.
The things that Stewart was good at, i.e. running, were readily apparent to last year's coaches as well as last year's opponents. The quarterback was second on the team in rushing with 321 yards and five scores, but his legs weren't enough to keep those opponents honest.
This year, Stewart has the benefit of having a year of experience, having most of his receivers returning and having studied during the offseason under the tutelage of a patient DeFrancesco.
"You're going to see a big change in him," DeFrancesco said. "Last year, he was a first-year quarterback. He had a coaching transition to deal with, and quarterback is a tough position."
DeFrancesco has simplified the decision-making process for Stewart by allowing for mistakes, but also holding the senior up to a high level, both on the field and in a leadership role.
"I think we've handled him well," DeFrancesco said. "We've given him a lot of responsibility, but we've also told him to just make a decision, go with it, and if it's wrong we'll get it fixed. He's picked it up and you can see the difference. Our coaches have said what a difference in his maturity from one year. We're hoping that now that he's a senior, with a year under his belt, he'll be able to handle things well."
And because DeFrancesco has been around the block a time or two, he fully recognizes that Stewart's legs are a valuable commodity.
"Oh yeah," DeFrancesco said when asked if Stewart was going to be as much of a threat to run.
"We're going to have a multiple pro, sprint out, bootleg. They didn't do a lot of bootlegs with him last year. We're doing a lot of quarterback runs because he's a big, strong kid. We have to take advantage of what he can do running and throwing."
What DeFrancesco won't be considering right away, that perhaps those murmurs have hinted at all summer long, is what happens if Stewart struggles throwing the ball again? Will the Tornadoes turn to Rob Varano, who replaced an injured Stewart in the second half of that Eastern Conference championship game, or is freshman Zack Wasilewski, Marcus' brother, the answer?
"We don't even talk about it," DeFrancesco said about Wasilewski seeing varsity time.
"He's coming up, but he's only a freshman. Already, everyone is talking about his brother and the last thing you want to do is compare him to his brother. That's not fair to him. We don't talk about it. He's on the squad here, he's getting his reps, and we've got three smart, athletic kids there.
"It's a year or two away, or who knows. You just have to wait and see. We're concentrating on Eddy, and Rob and Zack are his backups."
To comment you must first create a profile and sign-in with a verified DISQUS account or social network ID. Sign up here.
Comments in violation of the rules will be denied, and repeat violators will be banned. Please help police the community by flagging offensive comments for our moderators to review. By posting a comment, you agree to our full terms and conditions. Click here to read terms and conditions.
Copyright ©2012 The News Item | 707 N. Rock St. | Shamokin, PA 17872 | (570) 644-6397
Privacy Policy | Opinion Posting Policy | About our ads | Questions or comments? Contact Us
