Marmion’s Peters cool under pressure

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Updated: August 4, 2011 4:20PM

His statistics may not wow, but Bobby Peters gets the job done.

“We’re a running team, so it’s my job to make sure we’re in the right play,” said the 6-foot, 165-pound senior who has helped lead the Cadets to an 8-1 record heading into Friday’s Class 6A home playoff opener against Thornton Fractional North.

“The offensive coaches trust me a lot more (this year). Our game plans are much more involved, with a lot more audibles and checking based on what the defense does. So I have a little more freedom in that sense.”

There’s no denying Marmion is a running team. The Cadets have rushed for nearly 2,400 yards this season, which accounts for about 76 percent of the team’s production.

Peters, meanwhile, has the other 24 percent, completing 58 of 114 passes for 763 yards with five touchdowns and three interceptions. He’s a big part of the reason the Cadets have a plus-15 turnover ratio.

But he sees himself as much more than mere caretaker. So do his coaches.

“There’s always more expected from a senior quarterback,” said Marmion coach Dan Thorpe, whose team was 7-1 in the games Peters started last year when they won the Suburban Christian Conference Blue title and made it two games into the playoffs.

“He’s calling out the line blocking, slide protection one way or the other, like they do in the NFL. He’s finding the middle backer who’s coming. And as a senior, I always let my quarterbacks audible to a different running play.

“Just his presence, the kids have confidence in him.”

Peters won’t deny he has fond memories of his sophomore season when the program was running a different offensive system that featured more passing with the QB taking snaps in shotgun formation about half the time.

“I had 21 or 22 touchdown passes that year,” he said.

Even though there haven’t been as many opportunities to throw this year, he tries to make the most of them.

He said assistant coach Andy Windisch, who calls the Cadets’ plays, will ask him each week what pass plays he thinks will work against the defense they’re preparing to face.

“He actually listens to me when it comes to that,” Peters said. “That’s awesome when we’re running stuff that I like against certain defenses.

“When we do pass, it’s often for a big play or keeping them honest. It may be a third down, so it’s a crucial point in the game.”

That was true in the season-opening 13-7 win over Batavia when he directed a winning drive on the Cadets’ final possession. While it featured mostly runs, Peters was cool under pressure.

The following week in another close call at Mundelein, he had completions of 55 and 40 yards to set up field goals in the 13-6 victory.

Last week, he saved the best for last in the 27-21 overtime loss at Montini. After spotting the Broncos a 21-0 lead, the Cadets came back and tied the game on their final drive of regulation.

“We got the ball at about our 30 with 2½ to 3 minutes left,” said Peters, who completed six passes in the drive to the game-tying score. “Growing up, you watch Tom Brady run the two-minute drill and he’s real cool and comfortable. Going into that game, I was telling myself, ‘It’s gonna be close, you’re gonna have to come through when it matters. Just be cool and do what you do.’

“We knew we could do it, we just had to get it done. It was crunch time, a now or never type of thing.”

It didn’t surprise Thorpe, who has been impressed by Peters and his work ethic.

“He’s one of those kids who brings plays in written on napkins or pieces of paper,” said the veteran coach. “You know he’s watching college games and analyzing, not just watching. He understands the game.

“He’s made a great commitment by going to (Steve Gregory’s) Quarterback Farm (in Naperville) for private lessons for two years, worked on his mechanics, worked on his strength, worked on his speed. There are no regrets needed.

“That’s why they respect him in that huddle. They know the price he’s paid.

“We got tested (last) Friday and Bobby responded, against a very formidable foe. How can you not have confidence? I’m not big on potential. I’m big on results. And the results showed it Friday night.”

This week features more unknowns against the 6-3 Meteors.

“We only had about four audibles against Montini because they didn’t change much,” said Peters. “This week, we’ll probably have more because they’ll have eight guys on the line one play, go to a 4-3 on the next and then a 5-2, give you a lot of looks.”

And the call will be on his shoulders.