BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
McALLEN — When McAllen Rowe coach Paul Reyes watched quarterback John Perez play last season, he could see the wheels spinning in the junior’s head. Should I make this throw, or do I need to make that throw?
As a result of over-thinking situations, Perez short-armed a lot of his passes.
Now during his second season as Rowe’s starting quarterback, Perez has ditched the nerves and jitters. As a result, Perez has improved in almost every facet of his game, leading District 30-6A in passing through six weeks with 920 passing yards and 8 touchdowns.
“Having that experience last year and coming in now, he is feeling more comfortable,” Reyes said. “He doesn’t tighten up as much.”
Reyes points to Rowe’s second and third games of the season — against Mercedes and Laredo United — as turning points for Perez.
Against Mercedes’ aggressive defense, Perez found he could make calls at the line to put Rowe’s offense in advantageous situations. And during a 42-point second half against Laredo United, Perez realized there was no need for pregame jitters.
“I think that really flipped the switch there,” Reyes said. “He just told himself, ‘This is what I have to do, and I can do it.’”
Perez counts the mental side of the game as one of his biggest strengths. He’s always watched football with his dad and has played quarterback from the time he entered middle school, so he knows how to break down a defense.
He said he’s always had an easy time picking up plays, and he counts his ability to diagnose opponents as the biggest improvement he’s made in his second year at the helm.
“Having that experience of starting, I think that gives me a better view of the field and helps me read the plays a lot better,” Perez said.
Arm strength is also a major asset for Perez. That power allows him to deliver passes without setting his feet, or to wait a beat longer on his release.
He credited his passing success this season to an improved offensive line and to the athletic wideout duo of Hector Bosquez and Joseph Moreno, who rank first and second in the district in receiving yards.
“This year, he’s much more confident in his throws,” Bosquez said. “I’ve seen him work over the summer. We’ve done some routes with all of the receivers, and with him as QB. We’ve just been really getting the timing down.”
Perez has also become a dynamic threat on the ground, leading the team and ranking seventh in the district with 355 yards and five touchdowns. In 10 games last year, he picked up 268 yards rushing and failed to reach the end zone.
“He’s always been a dual-threat quarterback,” Bosquez said. “It’s just this year, I don’t know, he’s let go of the trailer a little bit. He’s gotten a little bit faster, too.”
Perez attributes the improvement to getting taller — now up to 6 feet — without adding any weight. Still, he’s been caught off guard by the extent of his production.
“I’m honestly a little surprised at how well I’ve been running the ball,” Perez said. “Last year, I would run the ball, but I wouldn’t run as well. I’d just run and get tackled. Now I run, I can break some tackles, and I can get away from some people. It’s a lot better than I expected.”