Sports Column: “He refuses to panic.”: Huff could be the future for UCO

My last memory of the Bronchos was the spring game in late April. It was our first look at year three of head coach Adam Dorrell’s tenure, and I believe it was the first time we saw a team that was entirely built by him. It was uninspiring to say the least.

Defense dominated but was that because of how good the defense was or how inept the offense was. Three-and-out after three-and-out. That was until an undersized, unassuming quarterback wearing number two got under center.

The offense instantly came alive on the ground and through the air, scoring with relative ease. Watching from the sideline, I asked a UCO player, “who’s that guy?” All I was told was that he was a new guy who moved in. I remember telling my media compatriots, “I don’t care how prototypical the other QBs on the roster are, this guy needs to play in my opinion.”

Flash forward to this past weekend and look who they have running the show. None other than the five-foot-eight, 190-pound sophomore wearing number two, Jett Huff. You can tell by the way he plays, there is just something to him.

He throws the ball hard, he moves super well in space, and most importantly, he refuses to panic. I saw it in the spring, and I saw it on Saturday. He conducts their RPOs like a maestro. He takes care of the ball. He hits his receivers on time and on target. He is the guy for this team. Almost 200 yards and four touchdowns in just three quarters reinforces that fact.

Truthfully, there is not much you can take away from this kind of game. The renewal of the UCO-Langston Rivalry is great, but it was a clearly inferior opponent. UCO had two special teams touchdowns and the backups were in by the third quarter, so kudos to the ‘Chos for winning 72-0 like they were supposed to. But the thing that has plagued Dorrell’s tenure in Edmond was crippling inconsistency at the quarterback position.

The revolving door of Stephon Brown and Dawson Hurl only performing marginally well from week-to-week may very well be officially closed for good, because a smaller guy with a chip on his shoulder has decided to take the reins for these Bronchos. Jett Huff could very well be the answer to all the questions we have had in years past. 

We will see how he fairs next week against Central Missouri, the number two team in America. Can Huff be the guy to take this team to the next level? I certainly hope so.