Laguna Hills’ Gasser Takes His Hits at UTEP, Comes Up Throwing

Howard! Duck!

Some might think that sounds like the title of one of Hollywood’s recent flops, but it’s also good advice for Howard Gasser, the quarterback who was sacked 59 times last season for Texas El Paso.

Gasser, formerly of Laguna Hills High School and Saddleback College, was the starting quarterback for the Miners’ first 11 games in 1989, until a shoulder injury forced him out for the final game. UTEP finished the season 2-10. “I was really spoiled at Saddleback,” said Gasser, who is 6-feet-3 and 220 pounds. “They protected me so well. Here, it seemed like I was running all the time. It was like the days back at Laguna Hills.”

Laguna Hills was 0-10 in Gasser’s senior year.

Last season, much of Texas El Paso’s problems came because of turnover--among the players and coaches. Bob Stull guided the Miners to a 10-2 mark in 1988, but then took his staff to Missouri when he was named coach there.

He was replaced by David Lee, who was the offensive coordinator at Arkansas before moving to UTEP. Lee took over at the beginning of the spring semester. Things came together slowly.

“We were all very nervous last season,” Gasser said. “Everything was new. The coaches, the system, and a lot of the players. No one was really sure how it would all work.”

Poorly, as it turned out.

Gasser decided to stay in El Paso this summer, and worked out in the weight room, as well as the classroom. He built his strength--he now can bench 340 pounds--and is on track to earn a degree in broadcasting this fall.

This season, Gasser and his teammates are much more acclimated to the staff, but once again there is a new offense.

Lee has installed a run-and-shoot attack in an effort to get Gasser away from the rush, as well as to throw shorter, quicker passes. Gasser and a few teammates spent hours on the field this summer, practicing the offense.

“You’ve heard of gym rats,” Gasser said. “Well, I’m a field rat. I love to be out there. I love football and it is just a lot of fun. I’ve never been as focused as I was this summer.”

Texas El Paso opens the season Saturday with a home game against Brigham Young.

“This should be a fun offense,” Gasser said. “I’ll get to be moving and throwing a lot, and I’m looking forward to that. We all have so much more confidence and experience, especially the offensive line. I know we’ll do better.”

Besides being sacked so much, Gasser also was threw 19 passes that were intercepted. He completed 189 of 359 pass attempts for 2,586 yards and 16 touchdowns.

The interception total was a bit shocking for Gasser, who threw only three in 1987 at Saddleback. In fact, Gasser went 187 consecutive attempts over six games without throwing an interception for the Gauchos before he had two consecutive passes picked off in the final game against Rancho Santiago.

Still, Gasser rallied Saddleback from 10 points down in the fourth quarter to defeat Rancho Santiago, 45-34, and clinch the Mission Conference title.

Gasser was 148 for 254 with 2,264 yards at Saddleback with 24 touchdowns. He led California in passing efficiency with a 161.9 rating, and was picked as a J.C. Grid-Wire All-American.

After his sophomore season at Saddleback, Gasser signed a national letter of intend with Texas El Paso and again found himself in a familiar situation.

He was listed behind Pat Hegarty, a former Saddleback quarterback.

Gasser had been behind Hegarty at Saddleback in 1986 then moved to the starting role at 1987, when Hegarty went to Texas El Paso.

But this time, Gasser was a redshirt, giving him a year to learn the system and two more as the starter.

In 1988, Hegarty led El Paso to a 10-2 mark and a spot in the in the Independence Bowl. Southern Mississippi defeated the Miners, 38-18 in the game. Hegarty is currently competing for the third quarterback spot on the Denver Broncos.

“We always kidded Howard that he would always be backing up Pat,” Saddleback quarterback coach Bill Cunerty said. “But as it’s worked out, that’s been a pretty good thing to be.”