BY SAUL BERRIOS-THOMAS | STAFF WRITER
There will be no quarterback controversy in Mercedes this season.
Coach Roger Adame Jr. made sure of that by making a decision early.
“Right now, we have (senior) Marc Ledesma as our starting quarterback,” Adame said.
Last season, Ledesma and Zach Gomez split time at quarterback. Gomez, now a senior, completed 75 of his 113 pass attempts for 1,235 yards and 12 touchdowns. Ledesma connected on 69 of his 112 passes for 707 yards and 6 touchdowns.
The deciding factor, Adame said, was Ledesma’s performance since the end of last season.
“He went into our 7-on-7 season and did a good job,” Adame said. “In spring, (he) did a good job. Zach will have an opportunity to be on the field at some point. He’s a talented kid, so he will have an opportunity to be on the field at some point, playing different positions. We feel he can make an impact like that. But as of right now, going into our fall camp, our two-a-days, we are going to be going in with Marc Ledesma.”
Last year, when Ledesma didn’t play quarterback, he was primarily used as a receiver. Playing quarterback in the spring and summer allowed Ledesma to focus on the parts of the position he needed to refine.
“I’ve grown more into the position,” Ledesma said. “(I focused on) staying in the pocket. I’m a dual-threat quarterback. So I have been working on the pocket. Like my pocket presence.
“I’ve also been working on my passing so that I can get more precise and be more consistent on my routes.”
Gomez and Ledesma are both seniors and have played together for a while. Trading reps at quarterback last year brought them closer together, Ledesma said.
“I used to be receiver, and he used to be quarterback,” Ledesma said. “Now it’s the reverse. He’s been really supportive. He’s been accepting that I will be the quarterback. We have a pretty good relationship.”
That’s not unique to this relationship for Ledesma. He has a good relationship with most of his teammates. It helps that he has a couple relatives on offense.
“Marc and Matt are twins. They are brothers,” Adame said. “They are Fabian’s uncle. So, Fabian is their nephew.”
Matt and Marc Ledesma refer to their relationship on the field as “the twin connection.”
“It’s been great,” Marc said. “He is my go-to guy. I know where he will be at all times. I can hit him any time, (like) when I am in trouble. It makes it a lot easier on the field, because I have a closer connection with him than I do with most of my receivers. That doesn’t mean I’m going to favor him. I just know where he will be at all times.”
Add Fabian Ledesma, senior running back, to the mix, and it’s easy to see how the Tigers offense can run seamlessly.
“We are all very close,” Matt said. “(Fabian) is our neighbor, so we are super close. We have been close our whole life. He would just walk over (to our house) and we would just play football. From there, it turned into what it is today. When we have all three of us on the field — running back, quarterback, receiver — that’s a special connection.”
Last season, the trio combined for 661 rushing yards, 1,044 receiving yards and 26 TDs.
“Those guys are playmakers,” Adame said. “We are going to want to get them the ball as often as we can. They led the offense. They were at or near the top of the district, as well. … We are hoping for great things from them, as well. They have been working hard. They put in the time in the spring and in the summer, especially. They are excited about it, and we expect them to go out there and make some plays for us.”