BY JON R. LaFOLLETTE | STAFF WRITER
WESLACO –Darren Revis is an oddity in football.
The Weslaco East senior is a quarterback, albeit in the most basic sense. Yes, he lines up under center every Friday. The team roster sheet even designates Rivas as a QB. But Rivas is noted for a rather dubious distinction.
He’s the quarterback who seldom throws.
That’s not to say Rivas is incapable of completing passes.
“He’s a very good passer,” coach Mike Burget said. “People don’t understand that yet.”
You’ll have to take Burget at his word as Rivas has attempted a mere 42 passes this season. Instead, Rivas essentially works as a companion back alongside senior Lupe Moron.
“We like to play smash-mouth football,” Rivas said. “Every team in the Valley knows we run the ball.”
And few have stopped them. The Wildcats enter Friday’s area round playoff game against La Joya Palmview with a 9-2 record, including 4-2 in District 31-6A.
While Moron leads the team in rushing with 2,206 yards and 29 touchdowns, it is Rivas (1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns) who leads the offense.
“Any one who knows anything about football knows that (Rivas) is our guy,” Burget said. “Our quarterback runs 20 quarterback sneaks a game. People laugh at it, and I do too. I never thought it would be like this.”
Rivas began his football career at Weslaco East as a corner, but made the transition to QB to begin his junior season after coaches saw his arm in action during practice.
“I already knew the system,” Rivas said. “I knew I wasn’t going to be passing a lot.”
While Rivas is reigned in by his coaches regarding the passing game, he has license to act as his own offensive coordinator on the field and call an audible at the line of scrimmage whenever he sees fit.
“He’s good at reading defenses,” senior right tackle Sergio Morales said. “It’s nice, because his audible work most of the time.”
And there’s no pressure on Rivas should his play call fail.
“Even if he gets it wrong a few times, I’ve gotten it wrong a few times, too,” Burget said.
For all of the success the Wildcats have had running the ball, the team still works on passing plays in practice.
“We practice on passing more than running,” Rivas said. “We do a lot of spread formation.”
Critics will say Coach Burget’s run heavy offense is a gimmick.
“I hate it when people call us a one-dimensional offense,” Burget said. “We run the ball left and we run the ball right.”
But for Burget, it serves two purposes – kill clock and allow for a young defense to stay off the field.
“Our defense has grown up,” Burget said. “We always tell our defensive guys that we won our games because of our defense.”
Friday’s game against Palmview (8-3-1, 4-2 District 30-6A) will see two run-reliant teams face off for a chance to continue their season.
“They’re a tough team,” Morales said. “We just have to play tough and remember the team we’re going up against. It’s going to be a pretty good battle.”