Flowers Didn’t Wilt When He Was Cut Loose, Now He Grows at Valley

Say you were a highly regarded high school quarterback who got a Division I scholarship.

Say you spend two seasons in college working your way up the depth chart and waiting for a chance to prove yourself.

Say a new coaching staff takes over and, in no uncertain terms, tells you that their plans don’t include you.

Say, that sounds like the Aaron Flowers story.

Flowers, Valley College’s quarterback, rode that roller coaster.

“I learned a lot from the experience, both good and bad,” Flowers said. “I learned how to deal with [football] politics. . . . I learned how to deal with life.”

Flowers received those lessons at Utah State, where he hoped to embark on a successful college career after three remarkable seasons at Artesia High.

At Artesia, Flowers played for his father, Norm, and led the Pioneers to consecutive Suburban League titles in 1991 and ’92. He finished his high school career as a three-time All-Southern Section Division VII selection with 8,873 yards passing and 79 touchdowns.

In a victory over Cerritos Gahr in his senior year, Flowers completed 26 of 35 passes for 426 yards and seven touchdowns, one shy of the state single-game record.

Yet, Flowers was overlooked by many Division I colleges that considered him too short. Only Utah State Coach Charlie Weatherbie was willing to take a chance.

Flowers, 6 feet and 185 pounds, was a redshirt as a freshman. Last year he played in seven games--mostly as a reserve--completing 36 of 70 for 488 yards and four touchdowns.

After the season, Weatherbie left for Navy and the Aggies hired John L. Smith away from Idaho. The new regime spelled doom for Flowers.

“They basically told me I wasn’t going to play for them,” Flowers said. “They said I could stay and get a free education if I wanted. I decided I’d be too unhappy sitting on the bench for three years.”

Flowers transferred to Valley, which has become a favorite stop for Division I quarterbacks on the rebound, and has directed the Monarchs’ run-and-shoot offense to a 2-0 record. He has completed 35 of 58 for 493 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, numbers Flowers hopes to improve when the Monarchs, ranked 16th in the nation by USA Today, travel to meet No. 2 Bakersfield in a Western State Conference interdivision game Saturday night.

Good numbers for sure, but he has a long way to go to keep pace with former Valley quarterbacks Sean Fitzgerald and Jim Arellanes.

Fitzgerald, who transferred to Valley from Idaho State, passed for 3,134 yards in 1993 before he accepted a scholarship to Pittsburgh.

Arellanes, who transferred to Valley from Northern Arizona, passed for 406 yards in last year’s opener and finished with a school-record 3,909 yards. He is playing for Fresno State.

Both are 6-5 and have strong arms, but Valley Coach Jim Fenwick rates Flowers with them.

“In a lot of ways, he’s as good as the last two guys. He’s just not 6-5,” Fenwick said. “As far as reading the defense, he’s as good as we’ve had. His composure is real strong and his leadership is real strong.”

As is his understanding of the Monarch offense. Flowers was schooled in the run-and-shoot by his father since the ninth grade and says he became so comfortable with it that he occasionally would call audibles.

“It’s basically the same offense, just different terminology,” he said. “It’s a fun offense for quarterbacks, especially when you have a good offensive line like we have.”

Flowers is not banking on another shot at Division I, nor is he concerned about offers coming his way.

“A major reason I made the JC decision is that I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to play again and this gives me one solid year to play and enjoy it,” Flowers said.

“Seeing the experience I’ve had at that level [Division I] hasn’t been too good, I’m pretty realistic that there’s a 99% chance of not [returning]. They are looking for the prototypical 6-4, 220-pound quarterback and there’s not much room for a 6-foot slow guy.

“I have a desire to play where I’m needed and wanted, not just to be in D-I.”

The Monarchs definitely need him against Bakersfield, a team they have not defeated in 20 years.

Flowers would love nothing more than to upset the Renegades at Memorial Stadium, where Bakersfield is virtually unbeatable.

Even in last year’s game at Valley, when Arellanes passed for a state record 639 yards, the Renegades won, 51-37.

But Flowers is not expecting an anxiety attack.

“My big goal this week is not to force anything,” Flowers said. “If we all take care of our own jobs, we’ll do fine.”

Say, that sounds like the voice of experience speaking.