The difficult part for Clay Garcia was the hiatus, but apparently the break had no adverse effects.
The Colorado Mines quarterback was a record-setter and a Gold Helmet winner at Alamosa in 2006 after leading the Mean Moose to an undefeated season, a possessor of a rocket arm that was sure to translate into big things at the next level.
Then he endured the redshirt season of 2007, and then two seasons as a backup with only scant playing time for the Orediggers.
But 2010 has marked a renaissance for the junior, the reigning Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference player of the week. He is throwing the football with the frequency and proficiency that harkens back to his days with the Mean Moose.
“He’s a great quarterback, and if he’s willing to throw it, I’m 100 percent behind it,” Mines receiver Jerrod Doucet said. “If it’s an interception, it’s no big deal, because I know he’s going to bounce back. I have all the confidence in the world in Clay.”
With the 6-foot, 200-pounder in control, Mines has reeled off seven consecutive wins and has climbed to No. 16 in the AFCA Division II rankings. This season marks the first appearance in the poll since 2005 for the Orediggers (7-1, 6-0), who play at home Saturday against Adams State.
Putting it up an average of about 45 passes a game, Garcia has thrown for 2,768 yards (346 a game) with 30 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. He has completed 63.4 percent of his passes. The mantra has been throw, throw, and if you make a mistake, keep throwing.
“Clay’s not going to get in the tank because of a couple throws,” Mines coach Bob Stitt said. “He’s going to get better. He’s going to keep grinding until things work out at the end.”
Garcia and Mines appear to be the perfect match, and not only because Garcia was the valedictorian as a senior at Alamosa and now recently anointed the RMAC football academic player of the year. His size is a bit smaller than the prototypical Division I quarterback, so the Orediggers, a pass-first outfit in Stitt’s 11 seasons, fit his mold.
Justifiably, Garcia’s proficiency has drawn comparisons to Chad Friehauf, the former Mines QB who won the Harlon Hill Trophy as the top player in Division II in 2004.
“It’s good to know they have the confidence in me,” Garcia said of his coaching staff and receivers. “But I have all the faith in them.”
With qualifying for the playoffs such a shaky proposition in Division II, Garcia understands his squad likely will have to win the two games preceding the regular-season finale against No. 9 Nebraska-Kearney on Nov. 13 — and probably win that one too.
“We know that every week we get a win, it keeps us in it,” Garcia said. “We want to be playing for something next month.”
