GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
PHARR — As PSJA North was struggling through a winless season last year, quarterback George Olivarez didn’t get along with then-coach Steve Flores.
As Olivarez says, he and Flores “didn’t see eye to eye.” So Olivarez said he moved himself down to the junior varsity team, where he would have a chance to learn and grow.
This season, a better, more mature Olivarez got a fresh start under new coach Jorge Peña, and he’s delivered. The junior quarterback is the leading passer and rusher on a PSJA North team that is off to a 1-0 start in district play, already eclipsing its win total from last season.
“This year with Peña coming in, he got us all fired up,” Olivarez said. “The atmosphere is just different. … I knew last year it wasn’t the talent, it was just the schemes that we were running. I knew there was talent here all along. Everything is just a lot better this year.”
For Olivarez, developing into a quarterback who could run Peña’s spread offense required wholesale changes. He always had the talent to be successful, but offensive coordinator David Duty, who was on the staff last year, saw that Olivarez had a way to go before he was fully ready to take on the starting role.
“He was a sophomore last year, and he played well for us, but he lacked the maturity to do it,” Duty said. “This year, he really matured as a young man. He’s blossoming as a football player, and he’s blossoming as a human being.”
Peña’s first step to turning around the program was getting everyone to buy in and be unselfish, and that was especially key for Olivarez. As Peña learned from legendary coach Gordon Wood’s book “Game Plan for Winning Football,” character is the first thing you look for in a quarterback. After that, the process is simple: find the best athlete in the school, and teach him how to throw.
Once he saw Olivarez run in practice, he knew he had the type of athlete he was looking for. From there, the development began.
“I talked to him about character,” Peña said. “He had some things he had to work on. Nobody is perfect, but he worked really hard at it, and he’s made pretty good decisions since then. He’s come a long way.”
Olivarez said he had to learn not to be so hard on himself. Like many quarterbacks, Olivarez describes himself as “his own biggest critic.”
“The team sees my face, they see my eyes,” Olivarez said. “I have to have thick skin and forget about everything.”
Offensive tackle Andy Martinez said Olivarez has improved greatly as a player and a leader, pushing his teammates through practices.
Tackle Anthony Marin said he thought last year’s issues were a result of the 0-10 season.
“I think it was just George getting frustrated with losing and the team not getting together,” Marin said. “He’s committed way more. … He’s grown up a lot since I’ve met him. He’s taken over the offense. Tried to pump us up. It’s surprised me this year. I’m proud of him.”
Olivarez said he had an easy time picking up the new offense. After all, Peña’s spread only has about a dozen plays, and Olivarez spends a lot of his of time studying.
His father, a former player, frequently texts him tidbits and pointers. Whenever coaches call Olivarez at home, they find that he’s reviewing plays or watching clips of future opponents on Hudl.
“I dissect it,” Olivarez said. “I look at the DBs and safeties, see what their tendencies are, see what they like to do, see where I can get them and trick them.”
Olivarez has also had to retool his throwing motion. The process began with Peña in the spring, and carried through the summer, when he said he would meet receivers Saul Zuniga and Deion Hernandez at the school to throw routes almost every morning at 7 a.m.
The result is a more smooth, over-the-top, compact delivery, with emphasis on a quick release.
“His accuracy has improved dramatically,” Peña said.
Like Olivarez, the Raiders have undergone a complete turnaround. Safety Nico Jaime is the heart and soul of a defense that ranks second in District 31-6A.
With Olivarez protected by offensive tackles Marin and Martinez, Peña and North believe the Raiders can make a run to the playoffs.
“With them and George on the field,” Peña said, “we feel like we have a chance.”