Gobbla2001
12-01-2004, 01:23 PM
Cool, calm and collected
Schumacher possesses poise for No. 1 Cuero
http://www.thevictoriaadvocate.com/ips_rich_content/CUERO_YOAKUM_07_sm.jpg
Kerri Besio/Advocate Staff Photographer
Quarterback Matt Schumacher has passed for 1,763 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for 454 yards and six touchdowns in his senior season with Cuero. The top-ranked Gobblers will play Palestine in a Class 3A, Division I semifinal game on Friday at 8 p.m. at Round Rock ISD Stadium.
December 1, 2004
MIKE FORMAN
Advocate Sports Writer
CUERO - Cuero quarterback Matt Schumacher prefers to let his actions speak for themselves, but it's not hard to find volunteers willing to put into words what he's done for the Gobblers this season.
"I was showing tape of Matt to a coach from SMU," said Cuero head coach Mark Reeve. "He said they can't get anybody who can make those kind of reads and throw those kind of passes."
"He's as good of a quarterback as I've seen in a long time," agreed Vernon Glass, a former Cuero assistant and an all-Southwest Conference quarterback at Rice. "We're not talking about a guy who's 6-4, and there are probably a lot of (Class) 3A quarterbacks who can throw the ball harder, and Lord knows he's not a sprinter. But he can make a decision quickly and get a jump on you. He's just a quarterback. He has a good mind and he thinks on his feet real well."
"We put a lot of responsibility on Matt to get us in the right play," added Travis Reeve, Cuero's co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. "He can change the play completely as he sees fit. A big part of our offense is to get in the right position. He's made good decisions and made big plays. He's a big reason why we're so successful."
Schumacher has passed for 1,763 yards and 16 touchdowns, and rushed for 454 yards and six touchdowns this season, but those aren't the only ways the 6-foot, 170-pound senior has helped lead the Gobblers to a 13-0 record and into Friday's 8 p.m. Class 3A, Division I semifinal game against Palestine (11-2) at the Round Rock ISD Stadium.
Schumacher has been extremely accurate, completing 63.2 percent of his passes. He's also made very few mistakes, being intercepted only four times this season, and in Glass' words, "knowing when to throw it into Section E."
In Cuero's playoff wins over Columbia, Wimberley and Sinton, Schumacher completed 67.5 percent of his passes for 465 yards and five touchdowns with one interception, while rushing for 103 yards and two touchdowns.
Schumacher's also played in the secondary on obvious passing downs and intercepted a pass against Wimberley. He has even volunteered to help out with Cuero's deep snapping duties.
"Any good quarterback on a good team has to be a great leader who makes great decisions with the football," said Travis Reeve, who played quarterback at Victoria High. "He knows how to take care of the football and he's a tough football player. The other guys on the team respect guys like that. He's tough when it counts."
Schumacher attributes much of this year's success to what he experienced last year when the Gobblers went 9-2 and lost to Wharton in the bi-district playoffs.
"We learned a lot from last year, even from the loss," Schumacher said. "I think that's made us more determined this year."
Schumacher threw for 1,046 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, despite being at less than 100 percent after undergoing surgery on his right elbow in February of 2003.
"He's just now recovering and getting his strength back," Mark Reeve said. "The thing that Matt does so well is he just finds a way to get the ball out there."
While Schumacher has worked hard to rebuild his arm strength, he's put just as much effort into learning the Cuero offense.
"It's mostly a matter of making good reads in the passing game," Schumacher said. "You have to know who to go to and when to throw it and when to run. I've spent a lot of time watching tape with coach (Travis) Reeve. He helps me a lot with the fronts."
Schumacher's ability to recognize what the defense is doing and make the right reads comes as no surprise to Glass.
"You just tell him something and he picks it right up," Glass said. "If you show him something, he'll do what you tell him to do and he'll work on it. He takes care of business."
Schumacher credits Glass for helping him recognize the importance of being a team leader.
"It's kind of hard for me because I tend to be quiet," Schumacher admitted. "But he made me understand it comes along with being a quarterback."
Schumacher has had no trouble understanding Cuero's football tradition. His father, Kenneth, played on the Gobblers' 1973 and '74 state championship teams.
"I've been around it all my life," Schumacher said. "It's been a lot of fun for me. I grew up wanting to do this."
Schumacher possesses poise for No. 1 Cuero
http://www.thevictoriaadvocate.com/ips_rich_content/CUERO_YOAKUM_07_sm.jpg
Kerri Besio/Advocate Staff Photographer
Quarterback Matt Schumacher has passed for 1,763 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushed for 454 yards and six touchdowns in his senior season with Cuero. The top-ranked Gobblers will play Palestine in a Class 3A, Division I semifinal game on Friday at 8 p.m. at Round Rock ISD Stadium.
December 1, 2004
MIKE FORMAN
Advocate Sports Writer
CUERO - Cuero quarterback Matt Schumacher prefers to let his actions speak for themselves, but it's not hard to find volunteers willing to put into words what he's done for the Gobblers this season.
"I was showing tape of Matt to a coach from SMU," said Cuero head coach Mark Reeve. "He said they can't get anybody who can make those kind of reads and throw those kind of passes."
"He's as good of a quarterback as I've seen in a long time," agreed Vernon Glass, a former Cuero assistant and an all-Southwest Conference quarterback at Rice. "We're not talking about a guy who's 6-4, and there are probably a lot of (Class) 3A quarterbacks who can throw the ball harder, and Lord knows he's not a sprinter. But he can make a decision quickly and get a jump on you. He's just a quarterback. He has a good mind and he thinks on his feet real well."
"We put a lot of responsibility on Matt to get us in the right play," added Travis Reeve, Cuero's co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. "He can change the play completely as he sees fit. A big part of our offense is to get in the right position. He's made good decisions and made big plays. He's a big reason why we're so successful."
Schumacher has passed for 1,763 yards and 16 touchdowns, and rushed for 454 yards and six touchdowns this season, but those aren't the only ways the 6-foot, 170-pound senior has helped lead the Gobblers to a 13-0 record and into Friday's 8 p.m. Class 3A, Division I semifinal game against Palestine (11-2) at the Round Rock ISD Stadium.
Schumacher has been extremely accurate, completing 63.2 percent of his passes. He's also made very few mistakes, being intercepted only four times this season, and in Glass' words, "knowing when to throw it into Section E."
In Cuero's playoff wins over Columbia, Wimberley and Sinton, Schumacher completed 67.5 percent of his passes for 465 yards and five touchdowns with one interception, while rushing for 103 yards and two touchdowns.
Schumacher's also played in the secondary on obvious passing downs and intercepted a pass against Wimberley. He has even volunteered to help out with Cuero's deep snapping duties.
"Any good quarterback on a good team has to be a great leader who makes great decisions with the football," said Travis Reeve, who played quarterback at Victoria High. "He knows how to take care of the football and he's a tough football player. The other guys on the team respect guys like that. He's tough when it counts."
Schumacher attributes much of this year's success to what he experienced last year when the Gobblers went 9-2 and lost to Wharton in the bi-district playoffs.
"We learned a lot from last year, even from the loss," Schumacher said. "I think that's made us more determined this year."
Schumacher threw for 1,046 yards and 11 touchdowns last season, despite being at less than 100 percent after undergoing surgery on his right elbow in February of 2003.
"He's just now recovering and getting his strength back," Mark Reeve said. "The thing that Matt does so well is he just finds a way to get the ball out there."
While Schumacher has worked hard to rebuild his arm strength, he's put just as much effort into learning the Cuero offense.
"It's mostly a matter of making good reads in the passing game," Schumacher said. "You have to know who to go to and when to throw it and when to run. I've spent a lot of time watching tape with coach (Travis) Reeve. He helps me a lot with the fronts."
Schumacher's ability to recognize what the defense is doing and make the right reads comes as no surprise to Glass.
"You just tell him something and he picks it right up," Glass said. "If you show him something, he'll do what you tell him to do and he'll work on it. He takes care of business."
Schumacher credits Glass for helping him recognize the importance of being a team leader.
"It's kind of hard for me because I tend to be quiet," Schumacher admitted. "But he made me understand it comes along with being a quarterback."
Schumacher has had no trouble understanding Cuero's football tradition. His father, Kenneth, played on the Gobblers' 1973 and '74 state championship teams.
"I've been around it all my life," Schumacher said. "It's been a lot of fun for me. I grew up wanting to do this."