Maurice Avery has something to prove. He might not say whom he plans to convince, but the Tiger’s back-up quarterback knows he is battling a myth.
“I know they think, ‘he’s a black quarterback so he’s going to come in and run all the time,’” Avery said. “But I can throw the long ball. That’s what’s gonna get ‘em.”
His high school record backs up his claim. Avery passed for 6,833 yards and 48 touchdowns over his career at McNair High in Atlanta, Ga. He threw for 21 scores his senior year.
Avery got a chance to take some snaps at a crucial time against Southern Miss. Saturday.
Starting quarterback Danny Wimprine took a hard hit 10 yards away from the endzone, and West put the 195-pound freshman in charge. Avery said getting the call was a shock.
“I was standing beside coach (West) looking when it happened,” Avery said. “I know Danny is so tough — I thought he would get right back up and go to the huddle for the next play.”
Wimprine did not get up. The red-shirt sophomore said he wanted to, though.
“I thought I was going to get back up,” he said. “I tried. I blanked out, heard a whistle, and I knew somebody was coming to get me.”
Avery still didn’t expect to get the call once it was decided Wimprine wouldn’t return.
“I thought Jeff Hilliard was going in,” Avery said. “He’s the back-up quarterback.”
But West chose Avery even though he wasn’t familiar with the entire offense. The 6-foot-1-inch passer was ready for anything that would follow.
“Whatever he called, that’s what I had to do,” Avery said. “They called a play for me to score.”
He ran the ball on three of the next four snaps and scored on a two-yard run.
The two-time DeKalb County Offensive Player of the Year said he knows part of the reason run plays were called.
“I didn’t know the pass scheme and the protection,” Avery said.
The reason for his not knowing the entire offense is because he was almost red-shirted at the beginning of the season.
Now that he’s had some success on the field, Avery wants to see action whenever possible.
“I talked to coach in the meetings,” Avery said. “I told him to let me throw some long balls to Travis and Antoine or something.”
Avery wants an opportunity to pass because he knows the running ability of many successful black quarterbacks such as Randall Cunningham, Donovan McNabb and Michael Vick have at times overshadowed their talents as passers.
Wide receiver Travis Anglin started at quarterback for Memphis most of last season. Anglin now leads the Tigers in receptions with 14.
Anglin was known for his rushing ability from the pocket, but his inaccuracy with the long prohibited him as a quarterback.
The 10 touchdowns Avery rushed for his senior season in high school show he has running capabilities.
While Saturday displayed his legs, Wimprine said he is impressed with Avery’s mobiliy and the way he passes.
“He’s a guy that’s a really good athlete,” Wimprine said. “In practice he’s shown that he has a really good arm for a young guy.”
Wimprine’s 21-year-old arm isn’t quite old, but the damage it has done (eight touchdowns and 669 passing yards in three games) has solidified the starting spot.
Wimprine said he feels about 95% and will start against Tulane Saturday. West said Wimprine’s position as starter isn’t in jeopardy but the back-up position, between Hilliard and Avery, might be.
The Tigers used Avery at wide receiver in the preseason. Though Avery said he belongs under center, West said the former top rated quarterback in Georgia could be used in other places but would see some repetitions at quarterback in practice this week.
“We’ve got a whole offensive package for him that highlight’s what he does best,” West said. “He’s got great legs, good wheels and can run the ball. We can definitely use his running ability.”
When asked about his time at wide receiver, Avery doesn’t have that same sparkle in his eye that he does when he talks about playing quarterback.
He’s even developed reasoning as to why the coaching staff might have tried to make him catch the ball instead of throw it.
“They just put me at wide receiver so I can learn the offense.”
