Tuesday, November 27, 2012
QB Pierre Le Dorze in 'second season'
By Mason Kelley
Now that Seattle (Wash.) O’Dea has wrapped up its 2012 campaign, Pierre Le Dorze is preparing for what he called his “second season.”
As a high school quarterback, Le Dorze leads a run-oriented offense where his legs and ability to manage the game are often as important than his arm. After the Irish lost in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs a few weeks ago, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound junior set out to prove himself as a passer to college coaches.
“You’ve got to show them you have the skills,” Le Dorze said.
During his sophomore season, he helped O’Dea get to a state title game. He followed that performance with a strong junior year. He is now looking forward to the camp circuit, where he hopes to land several scholarship offers.
“It’s just showing them that I understand what the quarterback does, what they’re reading, what’s going on,” Le Dorze said. “It’s showing them I have the ability, too. I think they know I have the arm, but it’s just knowing I can be consistent with it, seeing that I know how to use it.”
So far, Le Dorze has been talking to Utah, Arizona State and Boise State. He took an unofficial visit to UCLA this weekend to watch the Bruins play Stanford -- a pair of schools he sees as a good fit both on the field and in the classroom.
“It’s definitely a lot different than high school,” said Le Dorze after watching the Cardinal's 35-17 victory over the Bruins at the Rose Bowl. “They were a lot bigger. They were pumped up. It was a great atmosphere. I can’t wait. Hopefully one day I’ll be able to play in an atmosphere like that. It looks fun. It looks exciting, and it’s a great school, too.”
Le Dorze carries a 3.9875 G.P.A. -- he said his quarterback coach gave him an A-minus -- so he is also looking at Ivy League schools.
He knows what he needs to do in order to earn an offer. Now he is working to achieve that goal.
“I’ve just got to show them I can be a pocket passer, and that I can throw the ball 30 times a game and be fine with it, show them that I can complete most of them,” he said.
If he doesn’t get an opportunity to play college football, Le Dorze is also drawing some Pac-12 and Ivy League interest on the baseball field.
“Football is my No. 1, but if I can’t get a good D-I scholarship, I’m going to try and go D-I in baseball,” Le Dorze said. “Football is definitely first.”
