The McClintock football team knows the high-end potential of a Matt Lewis-run offense. Last season, when he was the offensive coordinator for Saguaro, the Sabercats romped past the Chargers 58-0 as quarterback Teddy Ruben ran for four touchdowns and threw for two more.

Lewis has now taken over the McClintock program, and he’s hoping his gaudy offensive numbers come along. It won’t be as easy without Tim or Teddy Ruben, brothers perfectly designed for the spread option that Saguaro used to carve teams up the past few seasons.

But Lewis said on Tuesday that he does have five candidates battling for that starting spot, and he likes the talent he sees on the roster.

Two of the top candidates to start at quarterback next year include Xavier Gomez and Preston Ryan. Gomez fits the Ruben mold, small and agile with enough zip to keep teams honest. Ryan has a strong arm that is getting attention on the baseball field, and could translate well to the gridiron.

Gomez said the process of battling four other quarterbacks can be nervewracking, but it tends to bring out the best in the players.

“You’ve got to try hard and really put in the extra work,” he said.

Gomez lights up when asked about the possibility of running the same offense Saguaro used last year. While the McClintock players are still learning the X’s and O’s, Gomez saw the Sabercats enough to realize the possibilities when the offense is running on all cylinders.

“They were pretty good,” Gomez said. “Actually, they were very good. It’s very exciting to try something new. It seemed to work for them.”

Tags: Matt Lewis, Teddy Ruben, Tim Ruben, Xavier Gomez