Huard: Why WSU coach Mike Leach is leaning toward Anthony Gordon at QB
Aug 21, 2019, 12:04 PM | Updated: 12:06 pm
WSU coach Mike Leach has indicated that Anthony Gordon is leading the Cougars' QB battle. (AP)
(AP)
Like their cross-state rivals, the WSU Cougars have a quarterback battle ahead of the 2019 season. Head coach Mike Leach’s team appears to have a more clear picture of who is leading its battle than the UW Huskies, however.
Watch: A close look at UW Huskies QB battle with Huard and Heaps
“If we were to play today, we’d play Gordon,” Leach said earlier this week, per Theo Lawson of the Spokesman-Review, about redshirt senior QB Anthony Gordon.
Gordon, who has been in the WSU program since 2016, may have finally earned himself a shot to show what he can do – even with Gage Gubrud, who came to WSU as a graduate transfer after a stellar run at neighboring Eastern Washington, joining the fray.
So why does Gordon have the edge? Brock Huard, co-host of 710 ESPN Seattle’s Brock and Salk and a college football analyst for FOX Sports, had an explanation Wednesday morning.
“Mike Leach has a little bit more background on Anthony Gordon, a guy that’s been in that program, that (Leach) knows inside and out,” Huard said. “He’s also kind of been down this road with guys coming in for a year and just seeing how quickly they assimilate and Anthony Gordon is his kind of guy. Just see it and sling it. Don’t overthink it. Not necessarily a scrambler and a creator.”
Leach has a history of success with players in the kind of position Gordon is in, too.
“Go back and look at the numbers of first-year starters for Mike Leach – when they don’t overthink it and they just see ball and hit ball, see target and hit target, they’re pretty successful,” Huard said. “And I think Gordon’s got a little bit more arm strength – (actually) not a little bit – I think he’s got more arm strength than Gage does, and ultimately I think he’s going to get the shot out the gate.”
You can hear the full discussion and much more about the upcoming college football season in Wednesday’s Blue 42 segment in this podcast.
Follow Brock Huard on Twitter.
