Nevada’s Choice Right On The Dutton
John Dutton had been through a quarterback controversy before and it left a bad aftertaste.
Dutton left Texas two years ago because he wasn’t given a fair opportunity to win the backup quarterback job. He transferred to Nevada and jumped into the middle of another controversy.
Under the coaches’ watchful eyes, Dutton and Eric Bennett split playing time the first four games. Dutton was awarded the job last month, and has put up numbers that indicate Coach Jeff Tisdel made the correct decision.
In three starts, Dutton has a whopping 185.3 efficiency rating, completing 74 of 99 passes with 11 touchdowns and one interception.
“It was tough at times, the media was always asking the same questions. They had a poll about who should start,” Dutton said. “But we kept it on the field and didn’t talk about it. It was good competition and I was fortunate enough to win it.”
The Dutton-led Wolf Pack (4-2) will serve as the welcoming committee for Idaho’s first Big West Conference game at 12:05 on Saturday in the Kibbie Dome.
At Texas, Dutton battled James Brown for the second-string job. The winner would inherit the starting job when Shea Morenz graduated two years ago.
Dutton saw a lot of big-time games (Colorado, Notre Dame), but rarely from the huddle.
“I wasn’t really given a chance,” said Dutton, a prep standout from San Diego. “I felt that for my career I had to get out of there. No grudges.”
He landed at Nevada because mother knows best.
Dutton’s mother taught high school English to former Nevada QB Mike Maxwell, who led the nation in passing last year.
Dutton’s mother suggested he contact Maxwell. “I followed his career from a JC to Nevada,” Dutton said. “I called him up just to see what he went through.”
Dutton, a junior, sat out last year as Maxwell rang up 3,611 passing yards and 33 touchdowns. Bennett passed for nearly 1,000 yards as Maxwell’s understudy.
At 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, Dutton is a prototype QB. Bennett is more mobile at 6-3 and 190.
Dutton was a tad more consistent than Bennett, Tisdel said. “I’m not a musical chair quarterback guy. I believe continuity wise, we needed to go with one.”
Preseason publications suggested Nevada’s offense would struggle with only two returning starters. But the Wolf Pack lead the nation in offense (543.8 yards per game) and have scored 63, 54 and 66 points the last three weeks.
“I didn’t know we’d gel this early,” Dutton said. “We struggled a little last week.”
Struggled scoring 66 points? “They (Boise State) put a lot of pressure on us,” Dutton insisted. “We scored a lot of points, got some yards, but we had a better week the week before.”
Playing in pain
Idaho’s defense, scorched by Cal Poly San Luis Obispo in the second half two weeks ago, should be close to full strength for Nevada.
Defensive end Barry Mitchell and DE/ linebacker Ryan Phillips, both slowed by balky hamstrings, should play, though probably not at full strength.
“I’m pretty close to 100 percent. I’ll be 99.5 by game time,” Phillips said. “I ran (on Wednesday) at practice nearly at full speed.”
Harsh words
Nevada (4-2) is the only Big West team with a winning record. The other five schools are a combined 8-23.
No wonder USA Today’s Tom Weir wrote the following in an August 23rd column:
With a conference that includes only Nevada, Idaho, Utah State, New Mexico State, Boise State and North Texas, why do they still call it the Big West?
Because Little League already was taken.
Notes
The UI-Nevada game will be televised on tape delay Saturday night at 9 on KUID Ch. 12 in Moscow and KCDT Ch. 26 in Coeur d’Alene and Spokane…
Nevada’s 66 points against Boise State last week were the most ever allowed by a BSU team…
BSU quarterback Tony Hilde has 12 touchdown passes this year. Four Hilde passes have been intercepted and returned for TDs…
North Texas’ Toby Gowin set a Big West record with a 92-yard punt against Vanderbilt last week.
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