Cardinals backup QB Sanchez embracing 'role player' duties

HARLINGEN - Mack Sanchez just loves to play football.

Sanchez loves it so much he'll play anywhere and anytime.

On the current roster, Sanchez is listed as the Cardinals backup quarterback to John Murphy.

And he's seen playing time at the QB position during mop-up time. Sanchez has a good arm but he's also pretty fast and athletic.

Harlingen's offense will be in good hands next year, no doubt.

But Sanchez loves to play football.

And fortunately for Cards head coach Manny Gomez, that love for the sport combined with an amazing athletic talent makes Sanchez the ultimate role player.

Tired of seeing him roam the sidelines during the first two games of the season, Gomez finally put Sanchez in a game to play.

Against San Benito in September, Sanchez played safety for the Cardinals.

It was Sanchez's first time playing defensive back. It didn't show as Sanchez picked off three passes that night all in the first half.

A couple of weeks later he picked off another and returned it 95 yards for a touchdown against Edinburg North.

Ever since, Gomez and offensive coordinator Spencer Gantt have found somewhere for Sanchez to play.

Sanchez has done a little of everything from defensive back to receiver to special teams.

Sanchez has caught one pass for a TD and run in another score this season to go with his defensive score.

Sanchez has become a jack-of-all trades for the Cardinals this season.

All of a sudden, this backup QB is now one of the top stars in a team littered with them.

"The coaches joke that I'm the backup for everything," Sanchez said. "I'll do whatever it takes to help the team win. I'll do whatever they need me to do. I love football. I love throwing the ball and running with the ball and catching the ball. I like to make big plays and I just really enjoy it (football)."

But it didn't come that easy.

Ever the competitor, Sanchez wanted to play from day one.

"There were some days that he doubted himself," Gomez said. "I sat down and talked to him. It was a process but it was around

Week Six when he really committed himself.

And right now he's all smiles because he knows he's gonna be the quarterback next season."

Gomez was cautious to use Sanchez because he was the backup and didn't want to risk him getting hurt.

But Gomez said neither he nor the team could be too cautious.
Gomez comes from the old philosophy that the best 11 players need to be on the field and that would include Sanchez.

"We're going down swinging with our best 11, Gomez said. "He's a big time player. He's been playing varsity basketball since he was a freshman so he has that big game experience. He's a team player and he's gonna help us win games."

Right now as long as he can get on the field, Sanchez is a happy camper. And if he keeps up what he's doing - whether it be on defense, offense or special teams - Gomez, the Cardinals and the their fans will be happy too.

"I like to study all parts of the game," Sanchez said. "At quarterback, I learn a lot from Murph (John Murphy). At receiver, I learn from our four receivers. And on defense, I learn from those guys. I'm just going to help the team in any way I can."

Eladio Jaimez covers District 31-5A for Valley Freedom Newspapers.