College football preview: Ready to lead again

Adam Weber was a freshman high school quarterback about to make his first varsity start when his father, Bob, suggested the two make a trip. A reconnaissance mission of sorts.

The father and son drove to the stadium where Adam would play his first game a few days later. It was late and nobody was around so the two sneaked in and walked around the field. Adam was 15 and excited. Perhaps a little nervous, too. His dad gave him a pep talk.

"I told him this is a great opportunity for you," Bob said. "There is no reason to be nervous."

That father-son moment took place nearly five years ago to the day as Adam prepared to make his debut as Mounds View High's starting quarterback on the road against a powerful Blaine team.

Bob, a former Gophers cornerback who is now a doctor, has reflected on that night a lot lately. His son is once again a freshman quarterback preparing for his first start, albeit on a much bigger stage.

Gophers coach Tim Brewster on Tuesday officially named Weber his starting quarterback for Saturday's season opener against Bowling Green. The news was not a surprise, considering Weber had worked almost exclusively with the first-team offense the final two weeks of fall camp.

"We just feel like at this particular time Adam Weber gives us the best chance to win," Brewster said.

It's also evident that Weber has been groomed for this moment. A hometown kid raised a Gophers fan, he has spent his entire athletic career ahead of the learning curve. This situation is no different, even if the stakes are higher.

"When you're outside of this, it's something really big," Weber said.

"When you step back you say, 'Wow, this is it.' But when you get out there on the field, it's still just football."

Ready for anything

Weber has always excelled in that arena. When Mounds View's returning quarterback suffered a knee injury in 2002, coach Jim Galvin picked Weber to be his starter as a freshman. Galvin didn't hesitate because Weber was their best option, he said.

"He was not overmatched by the situation," Galvin said. "The kids could feel his leadership."

That was obvious. Although Mounds View lost his debut at Blaine, the team finished 7-3 and tied for the Suburban East Conference title.

Weber's teammates included his brother Dan, a senior running back on the team. Rather than write off their senior season on account of a freshman quarterback, Dan said he and his classmates were confident that Adam could handle the situation. They knew because many of them had grown up with Adam tagging along or playing on the same youth teams.

"We were all excited because all my friends knew how good he was," Dan said.

Weber became a four-year starter, a three-time all-state selection and one of the Midwest's top-ranked quarterback prospects. Perhaps most notable about Weber's high school career, however, was the fact he was elected captain of three sports as a senior. That doesn't happen by accident.

Those close to Weber say he's always been a magnetic leader who acts older than his age. This past spring Weber returned to his high school at 6 a.m. on Fridays to lead Mounds View's quarterbacks and wide receivers in passing drills.

"That shows what kind of kid he is," Galvin said.

His maturity seems to be a by-product of playing "up" in sports. Weber grew up fast by playing against older kids in organized sports. He learned to compete and maintain his poise while always being the youngest kid on the field.

Weber's current teammates say he is excitable but doesn't come unglued emotionally after mistakes. He is confident but not arrogant and commands respect in the huddle, regardless of his age.

"He's playing with a swagger," senior center Tony Brinkhaus said. "He's gotten a lot more comfortable with the offense, and I think it's obvious to everybody."

New offense

It wasn't an easy process. Weber admits that, like the entire offense, he struggled to grasp the intricacies of offensive coordinator Mike Dunbar's spread offense in spring practice, leaving him slightly behind junior Tony Mortensen in the quarterback competition.

Nobody expected things to run efficiently from the get-go, but Weber's performance bothered him.

"It felt like a nightmare almost," he said. "It didn't feel good. I just felt lost out there. I put in the time this summer so that when I came out here I felt comfortable."

Weber, a redshirt last year, engrossed himself in the offense this summer. He studied his playbook and watched hours of film. He wanted to give himself the best opportunity to win the starting job once camp opened.

Weber's father saw his son's playbook after one week of camp. The binder was stuffed with Adam's notes. Others noticed his study habits, too.

"He's always in his playbook," said linebacker Steve Davis, who is Weber's roommate.

Weber looked like a different quarterback from the first day of camp. He appeared more confident and in control. His throws became more accurate, his timing better. He felt he turned a corner at the end of the first week as the team practiced for the final time at St. John's.

"Everything started to slow down," he said. "Right there it was like, 'Hey, I feel comfortable here.' Now, we're just playing ball."

Weber's physical skills were never a question. He has good size (6-3, 220 pounds), athleticism and arm strength. He added 15 pounds of muscle this offseason and said he is noticeably quicker and faster, which will help in the option game.

Weber's predecessor, Bryan Cupito, the school's career leading passer, said Weber's ability was obvious in the one season they spent together.

"Adam has a ton of talent," Cupito said. "He has a lot more talent than me. I'm sure [former Gophers quarterback] Asad Abdul-Khaliq would say the same thing."

Said Brewster: "Everybody knows Adam Weber is an outstanding athlete. Now, he's becoming a quarterback. There's a big difference."

He will encounter bumps in the road, of course. No first-year quarterback is immune to them.

"I guess it takes a lot of faith to put it on a young guy," Weber said. "I knew I would have that "green-ness" against me [in the quarterback competition]. I had to show the coaches that I can run this offense. It doesn't happen overnight. But I feel like I'm ready."

Just like he was on that empty high school field years ago.

Chip Scoggins • ascoggins@startribune.com