Grace's Glaske A Fast Learner At QB
(Staff Photo By Herb Nygren Jr.)
TUCKER GLASKE has combined for 1,803 yards and 22 touchdowns as quarterback for Grace Community.
By BRETT HONE
Staff Writer
As an offensive coordinator at Gilmer, and now a head coach with a similar spread offense at Grace Community, Mike Maddox is used to developing quarterbacks.
Given two or three years, Maddox will take a freshman, teach him proper technique and help him master the cerebral side of the position. Then, as a junior or senior, he would entrust him with the critical starting role.
That's a perfect scenario for the second-year head coach. Maddox hasn't been at the private school long enough to make such a situation a reality, though.
Luckily for Maddox and the Cougars, Tucker Glaske is a quick study.
The wide receiver-turned-signal caller has only played football for three years and never thought of starting at quarterback before this season. That hasn't kept the senior from helping guide the Cougars to five straight wins, thanks in large part to his adaptability and athletic ability.
"First of all Tucker is a natural leader and all of the kids on the team really respond to him," Maddox said.
"Then he is a talented dual threat, throwing or running the ball. He is equally gifted in both aspects of the game and has worked hard to be what this team needed him to be."
At the rate he's going - throwing for 1,010 yards and running for 793 more in just six games - Glaske is one of the area's few quarterbacks with a chance at rushing and throwing for more than 1,000 yards.
His 22 touchdowns (11 rushing and 11 passing) show his comfort distributing the ball through the air or keeping it himself. His ability to spread the ball on the basketball court, Maddox said, made him a natural choice to replace Aaron Wesson under center this year.
"He's been a point guard on the basketball team for several seasons and so he knows how important it is to see the whole picture, whether it's on a gym floor or a field," Maddox said. "That made the transition a little easier, his familiarity with reading defenses."
Glaske agreed that basketball has helped him in making split-second decisions as a quarterback, such as avoiding the rush in the pocket.
"As a guard and quarterback, I am in control of the offense and so I think I have a good feel for where everyone is on the field, especially the defense," Glaske said. "In the pocket I have a sense of pressure coming and know when I need to step up and when to run, and I think that feeling comes from court awareness."
While Glaske's natural leadership abilities and athletic abilities made him a likely candidate to succeed Wesson, last year's starter, Maddox was uneasy moving him from receiver.
With nearly 30 catches last season, Glaske, along with Kyle Childress and Shannen Smith, provided a receiving corps Maddox hesitated to break up.
"You never know how well things will click if you move guys around," Maddox said. "Sometimes you have to wade through a few games to see if what you think will really work."
That was what Maddox did with Glaske, who beat out sophomore Grant Ingram for the starting spot by the opening game.
Both of the play-callers saw significant time behind center during the first two games, with the other playing receiver.
Glaske solidified his role as the starter in the Cougars first win of the season, 56-28 against Alba-Golden. The senior threw for 180 yards and three scores and ran for 111.
Since, he has gained confidence with each game, knowing his receivers and his offensive line are there to support him.
"Even though there is a lot of pressure as a quarterback, Shannen and Kyle and Grant and all my receivers, they all communicate so well with me that it makes my job easier," Glaske said.
"I don't feel like I have to force as many throws any more either because our line does a great job opening holes and giving me room to run."
And run he has, to the clip of nine yards per carry. Just like he had to learn to read defenses, throw with the correct form and make good decisions though, Glaske had to learn how to be a runner.
"You wouldn't think so but that has been something I had to develop as the season went on," Glaske said. "As a receiver, the only time you carry the ball is when you run a reverse or something. I had to learn how to find the holes and when to go and when to stay in the pocket and throw."
Glaske is past the learning curve though. Now he can just enjoy running the show his final two games as a Cougar.
Staff Writer
As an offensive coordinator at Gilmer, and now a head coach with a similar spread offense at Grace Community, Mike Maddox is used to developing quarterbacks.
Given two or three years, Maddox will take a freshman, teach him proper technique and help him master the cerebral side of the position. Then, as a junior or senior, he would entrust him with the critical starting role.
That's a perfect scenario for the second-year head coach. Maddox hasn't been at the private school long enough to make such a situation a reality, though.
Luckily for Maddox and the Cougars, Tucker Glaske is a quick study.
The wide receiver-turned-signal caller has only played football for three years and never thought of starting at quarterback before this season. That hasn't kept the senior from helping guide the Cougars to five straight wins, thanks in large part to his adaptability and athletic ability.
"First of all Tucker is a natural leader and all of the kids on the team really respond to him," Maddox said.
"Then he is a talented dual threat, throwing or running the ball. He is equally gifted in both aspects of the game and has worked hard to be what this team needed him to be."
At the rate he's going - throwing for 1,010 yards and running for 793 more in just six games - Glaske is one of the area's few quarterbacks with a chance at rushing and throwing for more than 1,000 yards.
His 22 touchdowns (11 rushing and 11 passing) show his comfort distributing the ball through the air or keeping it himself. His ability to spread the ball on the basketball court, Maddox said, made him a natural choice to replace Aaron Wesson under center this year.
"He's been a point guard on the basketball team for several seasons and so he knows how important it is to see the whole picture, whether it's on a gym floor or a field," Maddox said. "That made the transition a little easier, his familiarity with reading defenses."
Glaske agreed that basketball has helped him in making split-second decisions as a quarterback, such as avoiding the rush in the pocket.
"As a guard and quarterback, I am in control of the offense and so I think I have a good feel for where everyone is on the field, especially the defense," Glaske said. "In the pocket I have a sense of pressure coming and know when I need to step up and when to run, and I think that feeling comes from court awareness."
While Glaske's natural leadership abilities and athletic abilities made him a likely candidate to succeed Wesson, last year's starter, Maddox was uneasy moving him from receiver.
With nearly 30 catches last season, Glaske, along with Kyle Childress and Shannen Smith, provided a receiving corps Maddox hesitated to break up.
"You never know how well things will click if you move guys around," Maddox said. "Sometimes you have to wade through a few games to see if what you think will really work."
That was what Maddox did with Glaske, who beat out sophomore Grant Ingram for the starting spot by the opening game.
Both of the play-callers saw significant time behind center during the first two games, with the other playing receiver.
Glaske solidified his role as the starter in the Cougars first win of the season, 56-28 against Alba-Golden. The senior threw for 180 yards and three scores and ran for 111.
Since, he has gained confidence with each game, knowing his receivers and his offensive line are there to support him.
"Even though there is a lot of pressure as a quarterback, Shannen and Kyle and Grant and all my receivers, they all communicate so well with me that it makes my job easier," Glaske said.
"I don't feel like I have to force as many throws any more either because our line does a great job opening holes and giving me room to run."
And run he has, to the clip of nine yards per carry. Just like he had to learn to read defenses, throw with the correct form and make good decisions though, Glaske had to learn how to be a runner.
"You wouldn't think so but that has been something I had to develop as the season went on," Glaske said. "As a receiver, the only time you carry the ball is when you run a reverse or something. I had to learn how to find the holes and when to go and when to stay in the pocket and throw."
Glaske is past the learning curve though. Now he can just enjoy running the show his final two games as a Cougar.
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