As a rule, quarterback is one position on the football field that takes time to perfect, particularly in an option-oriented offense like the veer where a quarterback must make quick decisions while distributing the ball.
Experience and time were two factors Kyle Bacon had going against him when he reported for Carson High's first day of training camp back in August. For one thing, he had not played football in two years, and this being his senior season, he didn't have a lot of time to get ready.
Well, Bacon has made up for lost time in a hurry, and in the process, the Senators have sprung to life offensively by scoring 38 points against North Valleys two weeks ago and 41 last Saturday against South Tahoe.
Bacon looked like a veer veteran against South Tahoe when he completed nine of 15 passes for 217 yards and two touchdowns, plus he ran for two more TDs to earn the team's offensive player of the game award in a game the Senators ultimately lost, 42-41.
"Kyle has just done an outstanding job," Carson coach Shane Quilling said of Bacon. "He runs the offense well, he makes all the checks; he looks like he's been running it for four years."
Bacon will be looking to continue that offensive momentum today when the Senators travel to Reno for an important Sierra League game against Wooster. Both teams are 1-2 in league (2-5 overall) coming into a 1:30 p.m. contest that figures to be pivotal for both sides in terms of deciding the playoff picture.
"It should be a good game because we're both in the same boat, record-wise," Quilling said. "If we win this game, we've got an opportunity to make Reno meaningful (Carson's final home game next Friday night), and who knows, then the Douglas game (on Oct. 28) could be for second-place."
First, the Senators need to get past the Wooster Colts.
"They're going to throw the ball. The quarterback (Steve McNulty) is a good athlete and they make you line up to a lot of different looks," Quilling said. "It will be a good challenge for our defense to step up and see if we can make some plays."
The Senators were unable to protect leads of 21-0 and 28-7 last week, as South Tahoe rallied for a one-point victory behind quarterback Mikey Van Gorden's 355-yard, five-touchdown performance.
"That's still under our skin," Bacon said, reflecting on the heartbreaking loss. "We're still thinking about it. We went hard the whole game, some things just didn't work out for us.
"If we play like that again, I think we'll be all right."
The Senators have amassed 79 points and more than 700 yards in total offense the last two weeks. By comparison, they only scored 19 points in their first five games of the season.
Bacon's progression this season was hindered further by injuries. He missed the first two games of the season with a flexor injury, then missed the final three quarters of the Reed game after he sustained a cracked rib. Bacon didn't start in Carson's homecoming game against North Valleys because of the rib injury, but he came off the bench to pass for 110 yards (7-for-11) and three TDs, plus he rushed for 36 yards and two scores.
The 6-foot-2, 170-pound senior made his first appearance at quarterback for Carson in a big way by running 57 yards on an option on his first play from scrimmage - providing a spark that helped the Senators rally from a 10-0 deficit to beat Galena 20-19 on Sept. 10.
"I've been trying to pick things up each week," Bacon said. "It helps once you start playing teams, and watching game film helps you, too.
"The offense has come around, and the line deserves a lot of credit for that."
He played freshman football in 2001, but then decided to drop the sport and concentrate on basketball during his sophomore and junior years.
"A bunch of my friends talked me into coming back out for football and I'm glad they did," Bacon said. "It feels nice to be out here. I think it was kind of a big mistake on my part that I didn't play those two years."
Better late than never.
"I don't know where we'd be without him," Quilling said. "He came in during the spring and we saw him all summer and we were impressed with the way he was able to pick up the offense and make the reads. He's just a savvy guy who finds ways to make plays - and that's what good quarterbacks do."
Contact Dave Price at dprice@nevadaappeal.com or call 881-1220.