Tuesday, Jul. 08, 2008

Blanson, Dean eye coveted MNU quarterback spot

Darrius Blanson doesn’t think the playing field was level last time he competed for the MidAmerica Nazarene University starting-quarterback job.

Oh, he has no qualms with how the coaches treated him or the fact that he didn’t win the competition, but he’s certain the playing field wasn’t fair.

“I was less than a year removed from shoulder surgery to repair a torn labrum and shredded biceps tendon the first time I competed for the job,” he said. “The doctors didn’t know how I could pick a ball up let alone throw it.”

Every toss brought searing pain, his accuracy suffered, and Blanson ultimately took a few turns at wide receiver. He always considered himself a quarterback, though.

“He’s been adamant about being a quarterback,” said Pioneers coach Jed Stugart, who is entering his third year with the program. “I think he’d be a heck of a safety, and he was recruited by (the University of) Wyoming to play safety. But he’s determined to play quarterback, and I can’t hold that against him.”

Blanson doesn’t doubt he could play other positions, too. He’s a gifted athlete — fast, shifty and blessed with a strong arm and the ability to improvise. The physical tools he possesses translate well to most skill positions.

But Darrius Blanson is a quarterback.

“That’s all I’ve played since high school really, and it’s what I was passionate about,” he said. “It’s something I knew I could do; I knew I could be great there as long as I was healthy.”

Now a fifth-year senior at MNU, Blanson has one final chance to nail down the starting-quarterback job.

He was beaten out by Brian Cox two years ago, a season in which Matt Schneider took over and never relinquished the job. Schneider won seven of nine games to close the season and was named Heart of America Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year while guiding the Pioneers to the playoffs last season.

With Schneider’s graduation, though, Blanson finds himself in competition again.

Coming off a 9-3 season, Blanson, junior Steve Kiburz and freshman Mike Keese were all expected to compete for the starting job this season along with Matt Krapfl, a transfer from the Missouri State University.

“Darrius probably has the nod coming out of spring ball,” Stugart said. “He and Krapfl were pretty neck and neck.”

Krapfl opted to leave MNU, though, opening the spot wide open for Blanson, but once again a potential wrench has been tossed into the plans. After three seasons at Wyoming and another at the University of Central Missouri, Stinson Dean has landed at MNU and been thrust into the quarterback mix.

Dean, who got married in May, wasn’t looking to transfer again. He made up his mind to graduate with the Mules, get a job and begin his adult life with his bride, Stephanie. That plan, however, went awry.

“I totally bombed a few interviews, which I wasn’t expecting to do,” Dean said. “I’ve been in pressure situations with football, I knew I could spit answers out and I could lead, but those interviews were really bad.”

He then looked into finding a graduate assistantship with a college coaching staff before hearing that MNU was looking for depth at quarterback.

“It only took a couple hours for me to decide to come out of retirement,” said Dean, whose sister-in-law, Jenna Foster, plays for the MNU women’s basketball team. “Stephanie and my family are all excited for me to have one more chance to put a good taste in my mouth about football.”

Ironically, Blanson, a North Kansas City (Mo.) graduate, considered joining Dean, a Blue Springs (Mo.) graduate, at Wyoming when the pair graduated high school in 2003.

“I told him (Dean) that it’s kind of funny because he found me anyway,” Blanson said.

At UCM last season, Dean completed 38 of 61 passes for 525 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. He knows he’s starting out behind the learning curve.

“On paper, I’ve seen most of these route combinations before,” Dean said. “I understand the concepts, but the playbook is different from what I’m used to. Coach (Jonathan) Quinn (MNU’s offensive coordinator and a former NFL quarterback) brought his numbered system from the NFL, so every route basically is tagged with a number.”

At previous stops, Dean was used to route combinations having a single name — like “Gator” — to describe the entire play. It’s a big change and a lot to digest, so he’s worn his eyes out studying film.

He knows the Pioneers have a chance to be special this season and wants to be part of that.

“The chance to win a championship at any level is an irreplaceable experience,” Dean said.

That may mean, of course, that he’s watching Blanson take the snaps.

“I definitely feel like it’s my job to lose, and I think anything short of me leading this team to a national championship as quarterback will be a failure in my eyes,” Blanson said. “It would be heart-breaking if I don’t start at quarterback. I’ve been here four years and had a really long career. I’d hate to leave here without ever really playing.”

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