GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
ALAMO — When PSJA Memorial quarterback Michael Gonzalez was 12, he watched from the stands as his brother, Louie, manned the position and led the Wolverines to the playoffs.
Michael saw Louie carry the team to a 9-3 record and earn all-District 31-5A MVP honors by throwing for 1,850 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Fast forward four years, and Michael is the one under center for the Wolverines, trying to bring PSJA Memorial something it hasn’t had since Louie left: a winning season. A junior entering his second year as the starter, Michael has guided Memorial to a 2-1 start.
“This year, he’s really evolved,” PSJA Memorial coach Gus Cavazos said.
After being thrust into the starting role unexpectedly as a 15-year-old sophomore last year, Michael completed 67 of 148 passes for 732 yards, three touchdowns and five interceptions.
Through only three games this year, Michael is 30-of-48 passing for 418 yards and three touchdowns against two interceptions.
“I feel like I’ve matured,” Michael said. “We’ve been clicking.”
Louie has played a major role in Michael’s development.
As a product of watching film with Louie in his free time, Michael has been able to improve his footwork from last season.
“He’s been teaching me a lot,” Michael said. “He works with me when I get home. We go over our three-step drops. We watch film together. He helps me out on things.”
The two have even studied old film of Louie, looking for anything they can use to make Michael a better player. Some of the big takeaways have been getting rid of the ball quicker, and throwing it away when nobody is open.
If Michael needs any extra coaching at home he can turn to his father, Luis, who played quarterback for PSJA High and now coaches at Alamo Middle School. Growing up with a father and brother who played and understand the position has given Michael a mental edge.
“He’s always been mentally strong, even for a young kid,” said Cavazos, who added that Michael rarely shows any nerves. “If he has them, he does a great job of not showing it. When he gets in the huddle, the kids see that in him. They don’t see any fear in him. They don’t see any nervousness in him. And so because of that, he’s a great leader. Even though he’s the youngest kid on this team probably, he’s probably the one that everybody looks up to the most.”
Those leadership qualities were on display over the summer, when Michael rallied his backs and receivers to get together and work on their routes. The players would tell the coaches to open up the field, and the players would meet three to four times per week. As the group continued to grow, they even ran some 7 on 7.
As a result, Michael feels he makes his reads better and faster, and he’s learned to put touch on his passes rather than firing everything at full speed. Cavazos said Michael’s ability to throttle back the pace has led to fewer drops by Memorial’s receivers.
“He’s been a tremendous quarterback,” receiver John Anthony Saenz said. “He got a lot better since last year. He puts touch on the ball now. He’s doing a lot better.”
Players also ran through drills during those summer sessions, working with a rope ladder to increase speed and agility. Michael’s 40-yard dash time has dropped from 5.4 seconds last year to 5.1 seconds this year. While still a modest time, that speed increase makes Michael a formidable running threat given his thick build.
In three games, he’s rushed for 73 yards on 16 carries.
With a running game added to his strong arm and newfound touch, Gonzalez has eliminated the only real concerns Cavazos had about his ability man the position. On an experience team with playoff aspirations, perhaps Michael can lead the Wolverines back to heights they haven’t seen since Louie was under center.
“We were just concerned with him being physically able to elude tackles, and he’s done a good job,” Cavazos said. “And he just keeps getting better.”