Friday, November 13, 1998
Tale of two quarterbacks tells of team rivalry
FEATURE: McNown, Huard
to reach end of story as UCLA prepares to battle Washington
By Rocky Salmon
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
Legends. Epic journeys. Long Homeric poems. Stories and tall
tales abound in the world.
The Iliad. Romeo and Juliet. McNown and Huard.
The latter tale is one that hangs in the atmosphere every time
UCLA and Washington have clashed since both players became starters
in 1996.
The fans speak of how McNown was almost a Husky instead of a
Bruin and of how Brock Huard almost did not make the trip to
Seattle.
But as fate would have it, the tale must be told. In fact, the
rivalry almost never occurred, but destiny intervened.
For three years, McNown played high school football in Holister,
Calif., then he moved to Oregon, where the Northwest lore
begins.
McNown played quarterback at West Linn High School and did so
well that he was rated the No. 3 prospect coming out of the West.
McNown finished his senior year with 17 touchdown passes and 1,711
yards passing and was selected to play in the Shrine Game as
quarterback.
Most people would think he would be the most recruited
quarterback coming out of the Northwest, but there was someone else
there who overshadowed the fiery McNown: Brock Huard.
While playing for his dad at Pullyaup High School in Washington,
Brock lit up the scoreboards with 28 touchdowns and 1,977 yards
passing. He was the No. 1 prospect coming out of the Northwest and
regarded as the No. 2 prospect in the country. Huard had his choice
of almost any school, but with his brother, Damon Huard, playing
quarterback at Washington, Brock leaned toward staying at home.
As the legend has it, McNown said that he would go to the school
that Brock didn’t. So Brock chose Washington, and McNown went to
UCLA.
But while Huard redshirted his freshman year, McNown was thrown
into the fire and lead UCLA to a berth in the Aloha Bowl where UCLA
was stomped by Kansas State.
The showdown would have to wait another year.
Or would it?
In spring, after the football season, McNown and Huard finally
met in an activity outside of football for the first time.
It was during an Athletes in Action trip to Santa Barbara that
the two quarterbacks spoke to each other.
"We met for the first time there, and he was a nice guy," McNown
said. "I had never met him while we were being recruited, and that
spring was the first time. Now we don’t have time to talk because
of football and school, but it’s cool."
So the spring before the guns started blazing, the Northwest
legends finally met.
The next chapter in the epic tale took place in Seattle on Oct.
19, 1996. Washington was ranked 25th in the nation, and UCLA was
struggling with a 2-3 record.
This would be a huge test for both quarterbacks. In the game
Huard got the best of McNown, but only because the Huskies won,
41-21. Huard was 10-16 with no touchdown passes or interceptions,
while McNown finished the game with one interception.
Flash forward to Nov. 15 one year later. UCLA had turned the
tables and was ranked No. 9, with Washington ranked right behind
them at No. 15.
This game silenced all Bruin critics. McNown exploded, passing
for 320 yards and three touchdowns, while Huard completed 25 passes
for 271 yards but threw two picks. UCLA slaughtered the Huskies
52-28, which helped distance the two quarterbacks in style.
With 44 rushing yards, McNown showed why he was the more
versatile quarterback.
"We are different quarterbacks so you really can’t compare us,"
McNown said. "Besides both being left handed and being from the
Northwest, he’s taller so they put him at the back of the pocket
and put more receivers out on the line. Our play calls are more for
the run, and the pass is used as a big play."
Now the story must end after three great years. This year will
be the rubber match, to see who will win, mano-e-mano. But while
McNown has led UCLA to 18 consecutive victories, Huard has had
troubles with injuries, and his Huskies are trying to qualify for a
bowl berth.
"I don’t think it will be much of a quarterback shoot-out but a
team shoot-out," offensive coordinator Al Borges said. "But I think
how each quarterback plays is going to influence how the game comes
out."
So now Saturday will be the last hurrah for a legend that
materialized out of thin air about two quarterbacks, not even from
the same state, who dictated where each was going to attend
college.
Nov. 14 will be the last diary entry  the last chapter of
a storied legend of two Heisman caliber quarterbacks.
El Fin.
Cade McNown
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