Karwacki leads G-Prep

Last season while the Gonzaga Prep Bullpups were on their way to a Greater Spokane League high school football title and a state semifinals berth, junior Bryan Karwacki was an All-GSL middle linebacker on a defense that dominated the league.

Fast-forward a year later, and Karwacki is now leading the Bullpup offense as the starting quarterback.

“It’s a lot different than linebacker,” said the senior. “Defense is more like reaction. “On offense, being the quarterback, you’re the leader of the offense. It’s a different role I have to play.

“It’s a lot more on my shoulders. I put a lot more time into the mental part of the game and learning the different things the other team does.

“When I played linebacker last year, we just kind of ran the plays they ran in practice. As a quarterback, you have to focus more on details and getting the morale of your team up more than playing linebacker.”

Karwacki did serve as the backup quarterback for the Bullpups his junior year, so he was no stranger to the position. There are times though, when he does long for the defensive side of the ball.

“I do miss it,” said Karwacki. “I miss the contact.

“At quarterback, you still get the contact, especially running the option, but you don’t get to hit as much. The frustration after a three and out, you would like to take it out and play linebacker.”

Being a quarterback at Gonzaga Prep is nothing new for the Karwacki household. Older brother Billy led the Bullpups to a state appearance at quarterback during Bryan’s freshman year.

“He’s been a big influence actually, especially this year,” said Bryan. “He’s called me a couple of times each week, telling me little tips that he figured out through the season and wished people would have told him.

“He’s been a big influence in a leadership role, telling me different ways to lead and how to bring the team up when they get down.

“Watching him my freshman year when he was a senior was really great because I got to see it’s definitely possible to get there. The whole way he went about things, I try to go about them the same way.

“That year that team was not the most talented team, but they fought really hard every game they played. He had a will to win I never knew he had.

“I just said I wanted to be like that. He fought all the time. He went hard all the time in practice. He got a little fired up at times.

“I just took that will to win and just apply it this season.”

Playing under center full time has been a learning lesson in patience for Karwacki this season.

“I grade him once a week, one for the play and if he does the right thing and two for his technique,” said Bullpup coach Dave Carson. “If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: He’s just impatient sometimes.

“He’s a true warrior. He wants to win bad and wants to carry the team. On offense sometimes, they’re not going to let you do what you want to do, so you have to get other people involved.

“His patience has been hard. Running the option – that’s been a challenge for him. Throwing the ball, he’s got such a strong arm; he’s always been able to get away with just throwing the ball and getting it there.

“At times he still does that, but he’s got much better over the first five games.”

“I’m still working on it, but I think patience is the thing I’ve worked on the most and improved the most,” said Karwacki.