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Weber State football: Quarterbacks happy with new, fast Mental offense

By Brett Hein - | Mar 26, 2022

ROBERT CASEY, Weber State Athletics

Weber State receiver Ty MacPherson (17) speaks with quarterbacks Kylan Weisser (16), Bronson Barron (10) and Creyton Cooper (8) during the first day of spring camp Tuesday, March 15, 2022, at Stewart Stadium in Ogden.

OGDEN — With 11 players on each side of the line of scrimmage, X’s and O’s can get just about as complicated as you want when it comes to football coaching, schemes and game plans.

Weber State’s offensive goal is excelling at the opposite of that: simple, fast, direct.

Saturday brought warmth, sun and the sixth practice of spring camp at Stewart Stadium and, so far, quarterbacks are happy with what their offense is doing under new offensive coordinator Mickey Mental.

“I love it, and I think we all love it as an offensive group. I think the quarterback room is happy,” junior quarterback Kylan Weisser said. “We’re moving the ball down the field, we’re getting the ball out quick and it’s good. It’s hard to learn but once you get it, it’s simple, it’s easy, it flows nicely.”

Quarterbacks Weisser, sophomore Bronson Barron, sophomore Creyton Cooper and junior Brian Harper are racking up snaps in practice. Going faster means more reps in everything: getting in the calls, practicing different plays, and getting in throws.

“I love it. The tempo, going fast, everything about it. Even though it is faster, it makes my job simpler,” Barron said. “It makes my job easy, just get the ball in space and let my guys go make plays. That’s what we expect from those receivers and running backs is to go win one-on-one matchups and there’s no doubt these guys will go do that this year.”

Barron and Weisser whipped the ball around to receivers in drills, 11-on-11 sessions, and smattered in plenty of running back work Saturday as the Wildcats try to learn what made Mental’s Notre Dame College team average nearly 500 yards of offense and more than 40 points per game in the last two seasons.

“Definitely simple reads,” Weisser said. “We’re going to take shots, for sure, and score a lot of points, but we get on the ball fast, get the calls in fast, and go.”

The quarterbacks say Mental has been a clear teacher of the new system — “which is huge in our room with what’s on our shoulders,” Barron said — and the change has brought noticeable energy for both sides of the ball in practice.

Barron and Weisser say they have not been told anything about the starting job or competition at the position, and both say all four quarterbacks are trying to win the job.

“Getting a new OC and a different offense, those guys in our room, we’re going to compete no matter what the situation is. It’s good. Iron sharpens iron and that’s how you want to be in any program. You want to have guys willing to compete and who want to be the dude,” Barron said. “It’s good to have Kylan, Creyton and (Harper) because I know I can’t take a day off. I have to keep pushing myself.”

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