GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — Long before the start of the season, Mission High coach Koy Detmer sat in his office with quarterbacks Rudy Treviño and Damian Gomez and talked about the responsibilities of the position.
The Valley’s all-time leading passer and a nine-year NFL veteran, Detmer shared his outlook on the attitude, demeanor and approach required to be a successful leader under center. Part of that process, he said, is not just taking command of the huddle, but looking out for one another.
“We always are each other’s support,” Detmer said. “No matter what is being talked about, or what might be being said or whatever, we always hang together. If we do that, we’re going to be able to pull the team together and keep moving forward no matter what is happening, and be a true team.”
Detmer said that mentality came to Treviño and Gomez naturally. Both have started this season, with Treviño getting the nod in Week 1 and Gomez stepping in after Treviño was injured in Week 2.
Though Treviño is cleared to return and getting close to full strength in practice, Gomez will make the start in tonight’s District 30-6A opener against La Joya High.
While the competition for the job will continue week-to-week, the two signal callers remain supportive, and Treviño said they bring out the best in each other. Learning under a coach who spent the majority of his nine NFL seasons as a backup, both have been taught how to be patient and make a positive impact from the sidelines.
“It’s like we’re brothers. We’re just competing,” Gomez said. “It’s like two brothers in a fist fight. Same thing, where they always still get along.”
In Week 1 against PSJA North, Treviño completed 7 of 13 passes for 89 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Detmer was complimentary of Treviño’s performance, praising him for picking up a complicated system in relatively short order. The coach was impressed with how well Treviño rattled off the fresh terminology and took charge of the huddle, but Treviño couldn’t help feeling like he missed too many reads and left opportunities out on the field.
Treviño was relishing the opportunity to continue his improvement before suffering a sprained AC joint against Mission Veterans in Week 2. On a quarterback sneak, he fell in a way that his elbow planted hard into the field, generating violent pressure on his shoulder. He missed the rest of that game, plus Weeks 3 and 4, but Detmer taught him to take something positive from that period.
“In some ways, being able to step back and see it from behind and watch things unfold, sometimes you actually are able to learn a little bit more,” Detmer said. “Sometimes, seeing it from a different perspective can be a good thing.”
From the sideline, Treviño would keep a close eye on the defense and relay any observations or suggestions to Gomez.
A freshman, Gomez said he was shocked when Treviño was lost to injury. He never expected to play so early in his career, but the unforeseen circumstance didn’t rattle him out of his calm disposition or lead him to change his play style.
“My whole life, I’ve been a playmaker,” Gomez said. “If I’m going to be a backup, whenever my time is, I’ll be ready to shine.”
In three games, Gomez has completed 16 of 32 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns against one interception. Given that Gomez had only first been exposed to the offensive system last month, Detmer said he was pleased with how comfortably Gomez handled the job.
Treviño, too, was happily surprised to see Gomez perform so well on such little notice.
“Never getting a snap, and then how he came and played against Veterans, that was awesome,” Treviño said. “He was outstanding.”
Gomez said Treviño taught him to be a leader and take charge of the huddle. From Detmer, Gomez learned patience and the ability to read the field, ditching his middle school tendency to tuck the ball and try to make something happen with his feet.
He’s also gleaned Detmer’s mentality of staying locked in on the sidelines, motivating teammates and being prepared for action on a moment’s notice.
Whether it is Gomez or Treviño assuming that sideline role more often in future weeks, Mission still plans to lean on its quarterback camaraderie.
“They support each other out there,” Detmer said. “When Rudy was playing, Damian was there to be a conversation, and try to help and say, ‘I’m seeing this or that.’ And same thing. When Rudy was injured, he didn’t just go away. He was right there on the sideline, and every time Damian would come off, he could have that little conversation with him and keep him going, which is great. That shows senior leadership, and the kinds of guys those two guys are.”