Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 7, 1995 TAG: 9509070040
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN LENGTH: Medium
If true, that's pretty impressive for a guy who is just coming off his first varsity start.
Branch is an impressive guy, though. He gave a glimpses of what he's made of in a 21-20 season-opening victory over Anacostia last week. Branch threw for 132 yards while completing 50 percent of his passes, thereby becoming the first Pulaski County quarterback in memory to throw for more yards than the team as a whole rushed for in a game.
Air Cougars?
Anybody advancing such a theory about the ground-hugging Cougars in years past might have been called an airhead.
But the 6-foot-3, 170-pound Branch just seems to be the type of player who has what it takes to force a coach's hand.
``We're going to throw more this year,'' Pulaski coach Joel Hicks promised before the season started.
Nothing against Hicks' integrity, but lots of coaches begin the year with such chuck-and-duck pronouncements and then don't come through. Branch is the kind of athlete who has such an excellent makeup for a throwing quarterback that not even Hicks is willing to overlook that part of the offense any more.
Branch, a junior, felt it coming during the spring of his freshman year. That was when he gave up varsity baseball, for whom he played that season, for good.
``I needed to save my arm for football,'' he said.
The only duty most Pulaski County quarterbacks have had to have an arm for is to direct the blocking on an option play.
``Before long, we think that he's going to be one of the better quarterback we've had around here, '' assistant coach Rodney Landreth said.
Landreth discovered Branch, more or less, three years ago when he moved him from running back to quarterback for the Cougars' ninth grade team.
``We needed a quarterback and he is a gifted athlete,'' Landreth said. ``We had other tailbacks.''
Branch gave some glimpses of the sort of stuff he's capable of when he scored nine touchdowns in a reserve role last year. He also played defensive back.
``He's probably one of the best safeties we have but he's not going to play there unless we have to have him there,'' Hicks said.
Branch, who is soft-spoken and unflappable, says that won't trouble him in the least.
``I'll just enjoy the rest of the game more,'' he said.
Branch differs markedly from his predecessor, Andre Eaves.
``Andre played quarterback for four years here and he won a state championship, but he was a defensive back playing quarterback,'' Hicks said. ``The difference between him and Ron is daylight and dark. Andre is a fire and brimstone defensive player. Ron is a quarterback all the way.''
Branch shouldn't take long to acclimate to being the varsity starter.
``I've been playing with these guys since sandlot football,'' he said. ``I've got a feel for what each of them is going to do in certain situations.''
Branch is particularly struck by the abilities of the other skill people he'll be working with.
``Jamar McNair catches better than anybody I've seen,'' he said. ``Jabbar Patterson is a big receiver [6-foot-2] who has good hands. Every time I've thrown a bad pass, they'll come back and take it away from the defender.''
More pressure will be alleviated by sound running backs, particularly Derrick Hunter and Jawan Clark.
Branch figures he'll be jittery until he can establish himself.
``If something goes wrong and I make a mistake, then I feel like people might start to doubt me.
``My attitude, though, is to make it up on the next play.''
by CNB