Varnum excited about QB battle: ‘Love competition’

There’s a QB battle at Manteca High School and the four candidates to start the Buffaloes’ season opener on Aug. 18 at Vista del Lago High School, clockwise from top left: freshman Cam Jimenez, sophomore Preston Smith, freshman Owen Gully, and junior Garrison Reis. (Alyssa Fuentes)

By DIEGO ESPARZA
The Tower

Competition brings out the best in people, which is exactly what Manteca High varsity head coach Mark Varnum is hoping for this year.

Going into this spring and summer, Varnum will need to find his starting quarterback for the 2023 season. 

The Buffaloes have their hardest schedule in school history coming up and will be playing in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoff bracket. Although uncertainty at the game’s most important position is something to be concerned about, Varnum is embracing the thought of an offseason quarterback battle. 

“Love competition,” he said. “Gotta compete year-round. Got some good candidates, some good possibilities, should be interesting.” 

A QB battle is something that hasn’t been needed the last couple of years thanks to two-year starter Hudson Wyatt, who started for the Buffaloes for most of his junior year and all of his senior season. Wyatt completed 68.4 percentage of his passes for 1,228 yards and 20 touchdowns this season. He also had four rushing touchdowns.

“Hudson did a great job throwing in spots where we needed him to,” Varnum said.

There are multiple candidates for Varnum to choose from and he has been pleased with all of them so far. The candidates for the starting varsity job are: sophomore Preston Smith, freshmen Cam Jimenez and Owen Gully and junior Garrison Reis.

Reis is the only quarterback with varsity experience. With Wyatt waiting out a transfer sit, Reis started the first five games of the 2021 season, leading the Buffaloes to a 5-0 start.

“There are some good young dudes coming up, Preston Smith, Cam Jimenez, Owen Gully, and really the one with experience is Garrison Reis,” Varnum said. “He plays tight end for us, but he had a pretty good run as a sophomore with those first five games.” 

Last year, the Buffaloes were a run-heavy offense that averaged 308 rushing yards per game. With Florida State-commit Blake Nichelson graduating this spring, Varnum might have to make an adjustment to the offense next season. 

“That’s always been our system,” he said. “We’re able to adapt to our personnel. With Blake, we were very, very run heavy and threw the ball when we needed to.”

Each of the quarterbacks has their own strengths and advantages that Varnum is excited to exploit.

“Cam’s a hell of an athlete; runs like a deer, so he’s got that going in his favor. Preston has a lot of the intangibles — he’s a good leader, he’s got that QB moxie, and he started a whole year on JV. Owen’s a very, very smart young man (and) Hudson works with him, and he says he really understands the game. And you can’t forget about Garrison, who has the experience.” 

Varnum is quick to point out that the burden of success doesn’t fall on the shoulders of the incumbent at quarterback. It’s going to take a village for the Buffaloes to win their first Valley Oak League title since 2019 and repeat as section champions.

“That’s our No. 1 thing — you do your job. No matter who the QB is, it’s up to our lineman to protect him, coaches putting him in the best spot, and our guys making plays when he gets the ball to them.