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Carta-Samuels: The new gunslinger in town?
by Robert Gagliardi , Wyoming Tribune-Eagle
The first drive was four plays for minus-4 yards, but UW got a field goal out of it, thanks to a turnover.
The second was six plays and 12 yards, and the third generated five yards on three plays.
Carta-Samuels admittedly was nervous, but he calmed down enough to throw three touchdown passes in UW's 30-27 victory over UNLV Saturday afternoon at Jonah Field at War Memorial Stadium.
He also orchestrated the game-winning drive in the fourth quarter where the Cowboys (2-2 overall, 1-0 Mountain West Conference) kicked a 28-yard field goal with 3 minutes, 20 seconds to play.
Carta-Samuels was 24 of 37 for 234 yards, and added 34 rushing yards.
He didn't throw an interception, and he gave fans on this day, and possibly for many days to come, a lot to cheer about.
Using a play on words that was being tossed
See Gagliardi, page B2
around in the press box during the game, UW may have found a new "gunslinger" to run its spread offense.
Heck, the theme this season under first-year coach Dave Christensen is this is "a whole new rodeo." Why not keep with the Western theme, right?
Carta-Samuels certainly displays a gunslinger-like style.
He showed it in his first-ever game at UW with a scramble-for-your-life 28-yard pass to junior Travis Burkhalter in the Cowboys' 29-22 win over Weber State in the season-opener when Carta-Samuels came off the bench in both halves.
It really showed in this game as all three of his touchdown passes were anything but conventional.
The first to sophomore
His second touchdown to junior David Leonard in the third quarter came when he rolled to his right and hit Leonard in stride down the sideline from 34 yards. Neither Carta-Samuels nor Leonard missed a step in one of the more fluid plays for the UW offense.
The last one to Burkhalter came in the fourth quarter where, perhaps, Carta-Samuels threw it up for grabs more than anything, but he saw Burkhalter open, and he took a chance that he would make a play.
What was more impressive about those three touchdowns was that they all tied the game.
Those scoring passes resembled something you see more in neighborhood games in the park than on a college field, but they count the same on the scoreboard.
But there was more to Carta-Samuels' performance on this day than just his scoring passes, especially on the game-winning drive.
On the third play, he did a pump-fake that prevented a UNLV defender from crushing him. He completed a pass to Leonard, but the play was called back because Leonard stepped out of bounds before he caught the ball.
Still, that pump fake nullified a potentially big loss.
A few plays later on third-and-2 from the UNLV 29, Carta-Samuels zipped a pass to senior tight end Orlando Arnold for six yards and a first down.
Plays like those win teams games, or at least gives teams chances to win games.
"He's special. I think we might have found a guy that can run this offense pretty efficiently," Christensen said.
It's easy to anoint Carta-Samuels the next great UW quarterback after a performance like this.
His first start was memorable, but there are a lot more to go, and there will be some rough times. Things won't always be smooth and successful.
Remember Karsten Sween's first start at quarterback for UW in 2006?
He threw two second-half touchdown passes to rally the Cowboys to a 14-10 win at New Mexico. UW won five of Sween's seven starts to end the season at 6-6.
Everyone - this columnist included - thought Sween would lead UW to a lot of success from there on out.
Today he is third on the depth chart, and his primary job is as the holder on extra points and field goals.
My point is that things can change in a hurry in college football .
UW's is an offense that was desperately searching for a spark and some confidence. Looks like it found just that with a true freshman.
"I think he grew up three or four classes today in terms of his maturity," senior center Russ Arnold said. "Not that he was immature before, but it was awesome to see him take control on the field like that.
"When we needed scores, we got scores. . He was a pro today. Nobody had to babysit or take care of him. He stepped up and played awesome."
It's safe to assume Carta-Samuels will be the starter heading into UW's game this coming week at Florida Atlantic, and there will be no platooning him with junior Robert Benjamin. UW did that in its first three games.
Win or lose, Christensen is determined to enjoy a win or grumble about a loss for a night and then focus on the next opponent the next day.
Carta-Samuels agrees with that, but he said he will enjoy this one as long as he can.
However, Christensen is confident his young quarterback will regain his focus fast.
"I'll just show him Florida Atlantic's defensive ends," he said with a laugh.
Robert Gagliardi is the sports editor. Call him at 633-3130, or e-mail him at rgagliardi@wyomingnews.com
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