Thursday, August 29, 1996

ACU quarterback is all business
By TED DUNNAM
Assistant Sports Editor

After talking with Abilene Christian University quarterback Mitch Alvarado, one important aspect of his personality is revealed.

He doesn't seem like the type that, after throwing a touchdown pass, he would break out into a celebratory Macarena dance. Alvardo, quite simply, seems all business.

Alvarado, a junior transfer from the University of Missouri, will be ACU's starting quarterback when the Wildcats host New Mexico Highlands Saturday. He also plans on maintaining that job throughout the season.

It's something he didn't feel like he got an opportunity to do at Missouri when he was signed out of McKinney as the top Class 4A player in Texas.

"The coaching staff that's there now isn't the staff that recruited me," he said. "I got caught up in the wrong situation. I told them that I didn't feel like I was getting a fair shake.

"Gradually, I just kept getting ignored. Then they went to an option offense and I'm a throwing quarterback. When they did that, it made my decision easier about what to do."

And that was to find a new home. For Alvarado, ACU was the answer.

"Stephen F. Austin, Portland State, Central Oklahoma and ACU showed the most interest in me," Alvarado said. "My biggest considerations were that I wanted a chance to play, I wanted to throw the ball, and the most important thing was that I wanted to play for a coaching staff that was honest and one that was going to be there for my entire playing career.

"ACU seemed the best for me. The coaching staff was very honest with me."

And hopefully, it will be around for the duration of Alvarado's career.

"I like this offense and the passing scheme," he said. "It's fairly easy to learn, but you need a lot of repetitions. I'm very comfortable with several plays, but there are others on which I need a lot of work."

The entire ACU offense probably needs a lot of work. There are junior college transfers on the line, a new tight end, new receivers and a new quarterback. It's potential seems enormous, given that you have a Division I transfer at quarterback, a line that will average about 300 pounds per man and an experienced backfield.

"The smallest guy on the line is the center (Trey Beeson) and he weighs about 275 pounds," Alvarado said. "I have no doubt that we'll be able to run the ball effectively, and nobody should stop us on fourth-and-one.

"I know it will take the offense a while to get going, but I think our base plays can be very effective early in the season. As the season goes along, we'll only get better. The only thing that should stop us is ourselves or injuries.

"Right now, we've got about four guys on the line that are hurt. None is serious, but it prevents you from running plays with the same group. It's just hard to get consistency."

Alvarado says he's throwing the ball well. He's mainly focusing his attention on mechanics. He doesn't categorized himself as one particular type of quarterback. He just wants to get the job done.

"My main objective is to get first downs. I like throwing short and I like throwing long. But I'm going to take whatever the defense gives me," Alvarado said. "I have confidence in all my receivers."

Even converted tight end Richard Wooten, a 275-pound former defensive lineman?
"I told Richard he has two moves - north and south," Alvarado said. "But he's hard to bring down. He's another big guy on our line. I think when we establish the running game, it will really open up our passing game."

Alvarado knows that if things go wrong on offense, the quarterback is often the first to be blamed whether the justification is there or not.

"That's just the way it goes. You take the good with the bad," he said. "I never think about losing. I know interceptions and fumbles are part of the game. But you put that out of your mind and go on. I'm sure I'll make plenty of mistakes myself.

"But it's not something I think about. Every time I go back to pass, I expect to complete every pass. And I expect us to win every game."

And Alvarado will get the opportunity to get started on that goal this Saturday in Shotwell Stadium.