Chapter 32

We began to go over the playbook. Coach Edwards quickly realized that I was familiar with the offensive plays as well as the defensive ones. “Short, how do you know these plays?”

“Coach, they aren’t too dissimilar to the ones from high school and I did read through them earlier in the season.”

“And you remember them?”

“Sure, Coach. I don’t have much any trouble remembering what I’ve read.”

“Oh. So, if I told you to run ‘Y Slant 30,’ you could go out there, place people in the proper positions and run the play?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Okay. Offense, take the field. Short has the play.”

We went out and I explained the play and then said, “On two, break.”

We lined up and ran the play which was a pass to Tom with play action. Tom caught the ball and ran a big circle back to us. Coach called another which we ran flawlessly. We were waved in. Coach Edwards said, “It’s hard to believe that no one noticed this ability of yours before.”

I said, “Trevor is almost as good on memory and is a bit better player.”

Coach Edwards said, ‘We’ll see. Tomorrow, I want you to play quarterback in the scrimmage. We’ll see how this might work.” He let us go to join the defense who were just in front of us heading for the showers. Once finished, I met Alice at the door.

Bob came up and said, “Alice, he’s our new quarterback.” He hugged Marilyn.

Alice had given me a light kiss but pulled back in shock. “What?”

I said, “The team needed a new quarterback quickly. I happened to have gone over the complete playbook and still knew the plays for offense. We ran two and I managed to do okay. Coach Edwards said that I will start Saturday unless I really screw up. I told him that Trevor was a better player but he wasn’t listening well by then.”

Bob grinned. “We’re at home Saturday against a conference opponent who is even on wins and losses. Then, we have a bye week. I think Coach Edwards hopes to have a good replacement by then. The team wanted to play. Jerry will get plenty of support from the guys.” He grinned a bit wider. “Then, Jerry can go back to being invisible on defense.” He chuckled.

Trevor smiled and said, “I’ll be glad for him to return. He’s needed on defense.”

Alice looked at me. “You can’t play offense and defense.”

“I played both ways some in high school. I just preferred to hit rather than being hit.”

The week passed quietly as we learned the plays. I managed to add a few option plays from the playbook that we hadn’t used before. Both sets of parents drove into town for the game along with Alice’s brother. I was allowed to keep my uniform and number for the game.

It’s time for the game. First, we had a moment of silence for the players and drivers who died in the accident. Each was named. A trumpeter from the band played “Taps.”

I have my own cheering section with my parents, Alice, her parents and her brother. I’ve decided that I just hoped to do reasonably well. We lost the coin toss so would receive first. We picked the goal to give us shadow in the fourth quarter. I didn’t know if it will help or need to help. Time would tell.

Coach Edwards wasn’t really happy about the option plays but they were in the book. We received the kick and would start from our thirty yard line. We were using a shotgun formation which worried me a bit. Our center was new like me and we really didn’t know each other. Coach Edwards called a play action run play. I received the ball from the center and started to back up handing the ball to Bob. It was hidden enough and Bob got through their line. I faked the linebackers and he escaped into the backfield. The strong safety and a corner brought him down after he made a first down.

The next play was to be the same but Bob was caught early. However, a lineman hit me long after I had handed off the ball. He was called for targeting and ejected. He hit me with his helmet in the back. I was down for a moment before slowly rising. I was helped to the sideline to catch my breath and recover from the pain. Trevor went in and handed off to Bob for little gain. I went back in. Another pass action play was called but I was to pass. The play looked identical but I kept the ball and then passed it to Tom. He ran to the five yard line.

The next play was an option play. I faked a hand off to Bob, backed up, and then ran into the end zone untouched. Our old quarterback rarely ran on this play though he could. Our opponents didn’t expect me to run.

I gave our center the ball to spike it. He did and grinned big time. We kicked our extra point and then kicked off. Trevor and the guys were able to stop them for a three and out. They punted to us. I almost moaned to go back out so quickly. On our first play, I was supposed to hand off to Bob. I told him to delay while I faked running. They bit and guys headed toward me as I ran wide. Bob gave it a second seemingly to block and then took off running. He was in the defensive backfield before anyone realized what was going on. Then, it was too late for anyone to catch him. Bob scored! We were leading fourteen to nothing at our kick off. A short run back left them at the thirty-six for their first down. Trevor fell on the first play and our opponents got a first down. He was trying to turn and tripped over an offensive lineman. After that, it was another three and out. We received the punt.

It was designed as a pass play with Bob blocking. Tom was open and I threw the ball to him. He was off to the races until a corner came in with enough angle to get to him. He was downed on the three yard line! Bob was supposed to take a hand off but I called an end around. After faking a hand off to Bob, I gently tossed the ball to Tom who scored without a touch. Coach Edwards wasn’t happy when I came off.

“Short, that wasn’t what was called.”

“Huh. You called thirty-one round.”

“No. I called thirty-one slant.”

I said, “At least it worked anyway.”

After the extra point, we led twenty-one to nothing. Tom came over. “Did you really miss Coach’s call?”

I grinned. “I just called what I thought was signaled in.”

“Yeah, right. Thanks. Kate’s parents are here. I’m glad to score one for them to see.”

“That’s great. Maybe he will pull me so I can play defense.”

“You wish.”

Bob came over. “Jerry, you’re doing better than Jones did. I think they may keep you at quarterback even if you call the wrong play once in a while.” He winked. “I don’t think I would have made it in. They were looking for an interior run. The end around really fooled them. It gave Tom a chance to score a touchdown, too.”

Coach Edwards began to substitute for starters for the rest of the half. Our real reserve quarterback got some playing time as did Trevor. Both performed well though Sherman, the reserve, had trouble getting the plays right. Bob was in and corrected him. When Trevor went in, Bob was benched for a couple of downs before going back out and picking up more yards. It was obvious that the game was going to be a rout. Trevor went back on defense after halftime and picked off a pass for a defensive touchdown. I passed for two, one to Bob and another to Tom. Our opponents managed a field goal with a final score of forty-two to three.