It Was Just Matter Of Time Everything’s Tickin’ For Qb Kevin ‘Timex’ O’Connell

Long ago, Kevin O’Connell dreamed of being in this position.

Not long ago, it didn’t seem like he would make it.

“When I was little, I would go to Prep games and dream of being the quarterback,” said O’Connell, who is now living that dream.

But when O’Connell arrived at Gonzaga Prep, the program wasn’t as dominant as it was when he watched his brother Jim play linebacker on the 1986 championship team.

For two years, O’Connell took a beating, prompting Bullpups coach Don Anderson to call him Timex, as in the watch that takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.

Although O’Connell kept on tickin’, the Bullpups took their lickin’s and never challenged for the Greater Spokane League championship.

Although the Bullpups were competitive, watching O’Connell take hit after hit was painful. It didn’t seem possible O’Connell would be left standing even if the Bullpups became contenders before he graduated.

However, O’Connell is standing tall and the Bullpups are competitive, taking a 4-0 record into Friday night’s 8:30 game at Albi Stadium against defending league champion Mead (3-1).

At 6-foot-2 and 212 solid pounds, O’Connell looks more like a linebacker than a quarterback. Prep defensive coordinator H.T. Higgins would love to have him.

“I would play defense, whatever the team needs.” O’Connell said. “If they need me, I’ll offer, but right now they’re doing great.”

“Earlier, we looked at linebacker,” said Anderson. “He’s got all the attributes of a linebacker. He’s big, strong and tough, he can do all of that, but he’s done all we wanted at quarterback. He’s got a good football mind. He had the curiosity to know the game since he was a little kid. In this day and age, you don’t have that in many kids.”

O’Connell said, “I’ve been brought up to be quarterback … I like being in control. I enjoy studying the game.”

With Prep’s run-first philosophy, O’Connell has rarely looked comfortable throwing the football, but Anderson’s confidence never wavers.

“Partially it was the lack of protection and partially it was rhythm,” Anderson said. “When he gets set, he can throw it. If the protection breaks down or he doesn’t get set, he struggles.”

O’Connell ran for 179 yards last week against Ferris. After three GSL games, he’s third with 454 yards, almost triple his passing yardage.

“I like to throw the ball; I can throw the ball,” he said. “It’s whatever the team needs, I know that.”

He is enjoying what Prep’s offense is doing now.

“When I was a sophomore and junior, I got beat up a few times,” he said. “I worked really hard this summer. I don’t want to be the hittee, I want to be the hitter. When I see a guy coming, I don’t mind taking him on. I get in trouble sometimes for not going down but I want to hit some guys for all the hits I’ve taken.”

Winning has made O’Connell’s past disappointments disappear. And there is a bonus.

Anderson is retiring after this season, and Prep’s coach of the past 26 years is enjoying every minute.

“From my sophomore year to this year he has a whole new outlook,” O’Connell said. “He still gets mad, but it’s different. Everybody wants to win for him. He’s a legend. I feel so privileged to go out with him. I looked forward to being with him. I hoped and prayed for this chance.

“It’s Mr. Anderson’s senior season. As much as we want to win because it’s our last year, it’s his last year, too.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo