Colorado University Athletics
Buffs QB Montez Benefits From Roper's Tutoring
March 10, 2018 | Football, Neill Woelk
BOULDER — Since the day he arrived as a true freshman, there's never been a doubt about the physical abilities of Colorado quarterback Steven Montez.
But now, as he heads into his junior season, Montez is taking the next step in mastering the nuances of the position — something CU coaches hope will help him become a better overall player next fall.
This spring, Montez is working under a new position coach, Kurt Roper. Hired in the offseason, the man who tutored NFL star Eli Manning at Mississippi is working with Montez on the little things he believes can make a big difference. That includes everything from footwork to throwing motion to film study.
Footwork has been a particular point of emphasis for Montez this spring.
"That's the main thing he's been re-emphasizing with me," Montez said after Saturday's scrimmage. "My footwork, just being faster with my feet, getting them down, making sure they stay underneath me when I'm throwing the ball so I'm always balanced."
Roper said that part of a quarterback's game is something that requires constant work.
"I don't think it ever stops," Roper said. "I don't think it's something you say, he hasn't gotten this so we had to do this. It's constant. It's muscle memory all the time. It's no different than when Eli and Peyton (Manning) would come to North Carolina with (current Duke head coach David Cutcliffe) and go through the footwork. It wasn't because they couldn't do it, it was just trying to create repetition and muscle memory."
Another area of emphasis for Montez has been an overall grasp of the offense. Now in his third spring year with Darrin Chiaverini as a co-offensive coordinator, he believes he has much better "command" of the details.
"I think this is probably the most comfortable I've been in the offense since I've been here, just knowing what everybody's doing," Montez said. "Like helping players line up when they don't know how to line up, telling them what route they've got, talking to the O-line, getting everything worked out. I think this is most comfortable I've been."
Roper said he has seen growth in that area just in the short time he has been here.
"Steven's got command of the offense, he really does," Roper said. "It doesn't mean that we've arrived by any stretch of the imagination, but he's got a lot of confidence and understanding on the football field and he tries to take direction of the team. He made some really good throws."
Since Roper arrived, he has stressed to all of the players in his room that playing quarterback is more than a position — it is a lifestyle. That involves not only playing the game but also assuming the responsibility of being a leader.
"He's a vocal leader," Roper said. "The first thing I tell these guys is they have to lead through their personality. They can't be somebody they're not. He's a guy who has some emotion to his game and I think we have to control some of that at times, but you have to be who you are."
Montez had a solid day throwing the ball in Saturday's scrimmage, recording a pair of touchdown throws. But he and Roper are also steadily working on his "touch" throws, those passes that require a little less velocity.
Montez said he is working on not throwing "every ball 100 miles an hour."
"Taking something off and putting some touch on it and knowing when to make those balls catchable and easy for the receiver to catch — I need to work on that some more," Montez said. "I feel like I really make it difficult on my running backs when they come out of the backfield because I just want to get it to them quick and I want to get it to them fast. But I don't understand that we're 10 yards away and I throw it as fast as I can. I could just give them a little something to play with. I need to work on that."
Overall, Montez said, Roper is no doubt helping him improve his game.
"Him coaching me up, me learning and taking his feedback and applying it to the game, it's making me a better player," Montez said. "I'm really thankful of that."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
