USD starting quarterback Anthony Lawrence holds multiple school records at Grossmont high school. Now as a redshirt freshman with the Toreros, he's on pace to rewrite the history books at USD.
“This is definitely a quarterback-friendly offense as far as easier reads and easier plays," said Lawrence. "You really have set progressions and it makes it easy on me when they just install the game plan and I just have to pretty much lean off that.”
Lawrence is making it look easy. Through 10 games, he has tossed 21 touchdown passes and only 6 interceptions.
But he was not even supposed to be the starting quarterback this year.
“Well, Anthony is a big surprise (this season),” said USD head coach Dale Lindsey. “He was our backup quarterback going into the first game. Our starter got hurt and he showed right away that the (college) game wasn’t too big for him. And that was against a very good San Diego State team.”
“My coaches pushed me and really kept pushing me even when I wasn’t playing and I was just running the scout (team)," added Lawrence. "(Assistant) Coach (Tanner) Engstrand was saying “keep working on your stuff. Keep working on your fundamentals and you’re going to get an opportunity.”
In just a couple months, Lawrence and his teammates have already combined to post some eye-popping numbers.
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He threw four TD passes in each of his first two starts and last month against Stetson, he racked up 453 passing yards in a road victory.
“It’s great having a guy like him. He’s a natural born leader,” said USD wide receiver and Rancho Bernardo HS alum Brian Riley. “He gets on the field and he takes control. He’s definitely not scared to throw the ball so it’s nice as a wide receiver to have a quarterback like that who can run the offense as well as he does.”
“He has the know-how to play quarterback and it’s something that you don’t teach,” added Lindsey. “You either have it or you don’t have it. They call it instincts – well, he’s got the QB instincts, and he’s a good competitor on top of it.”
Staying close to home, the La Mesa native remains motivated by the people closest to him.
“I really wanted to have my family watch me play because I know my family loves watching me play and I love their support so I really wanted to get out (on the field) in front of my family and friends again and play so they definitely kept pushing me to work hard.”
“So I was just really, really happy to get an opportunity and I felt blessed.”
USD is 8-and-1 since Lawrence assumed the starting job with the only blemish coming in a one-point loss to Dayton. He holds the school records for most passing yards and touchdown tosses at Grossmont High, so if he stays healthy, Lawrence has a chance to catch Mason Mills – who holds USD’s career record for most passing yards with 11,099. But let’s not look too far into the future.
The 8-and-2 Toreros are on a five-game winning streak and can finish the season with a perfect home record if they beat Butler Saturday.
