Benefield: Analy’s Jack Newman racking up eye-popping statistics

SEBASTOPOL - Analy High senior quarterback Jack Newman is nothing if not consistent.

His numbers scream flash and whizbang, but his demeanor denotes somebody far more measured. Studious even.

And yet he's the guy responsible for glittering numbers that pushed the Tigers to a 13-1 record and the North Coast Section Division III title game last season. And he's the guy on track to do it again this year.

So how does junior Jack Newman, the guy who was named The Press Democrat's All-Empire Large School Offensive Player of the Year, differ from senior Jack Newman?

“I'm definitely a little smarter, a little stronger, but you know it all just comes down to how I execute the offense,” he said.

He's executing pretty well.

After Friday night's 55-0 win against Sonoma Valley, Newman has racked up 2,132 yards and 25 touchdowns this season. He has 130 completions on 186 attempts for the Tigers who are 5-1 overall and 2-0 in league play.

And, like last year, on some night's he's playing limited time.

“He takes advantage of the time he has,” head coach Dan Bourdon said.

And Newman contends that stats don't tell the whole story.

“Numbers don't show whether you miss a read or you could have found someone open on a different play, so they are not always accurate. But for the most part, the numbers give a good judge of how well you played on a certain day,” he said.

Newman plays well on most days.

Bourdon acknowledged that a quarterback in Analy's speedy system is going to tally some large numbers. Newman's predecessor, All-Empire first team pick Will Smith passed for more than 3,000 yards in 2014 and set an SCL single-season record with 46 touchdown passes.

Clearly, Newman was taking notes.

“When he was a sophomore we pulled him up to varsity and he skipped his JV season to be Will Smith's backup in 2014,” said Keith Simons, Analy's offensive coordinator. “He's really mature for a high school quarterback.”

That's one reason, just one, that Bourdon likes what he sees in Newman.

“He's a really quality kid,” he said.

Players pick their team captains. The Tigers picked Newman.

“When that happens, you are hoping that it's your hardest working kids and kids that are setting a good example,” Bourdon said. “He fits that mold.”

It also fits with the work ethic question.

Seems that Newman is hyper serious at practice. Down time? Doesn't have it, because he's always working on something.

I asked Simons about a series of seemingly off-balance passes Newman was practicing with backup quarterback Brenden Medina.

“We throw our screens like that,” Simons said. “That's true Jack. He has struggled a little bit on that type of throw this season so in his spare time he's working on it. Without me telling him to.”

And nobody is telling him to hang out at Buffalo Wild Wings either. But teammates said that he's a regular. The guy likes to watch TV. But not just any old TV.

“He watches film every day,” Simons said. “He studies his opponent, he watches games on TV, the NFL, college, the best quarterbacks.”

So if Newman can't get the game he wants at home, he heads to Buffalo Wild Wings to see the games he wants.

“I watch a lot of film,” he said smiling like this was a true understatement. “I like watching film.”

“I have a good memory in terms of watching film because it's something I really care about,” he said. “I can remember certain plays from last year, that's for sure.”

Maybe it's his study habit that give him the confidence, come test time, to whip a ball into traffic if need be.

It took some getting used to, Newman's ability to find receivers through a sea of defensive hands and arms, said senior receiver Spencer Vogel.

“It was scary a little bit last year, but now I'm used to it,” he said.

“(He's) just on another level,” he said. “He just threads the seam on every ball he throws it seems like. I can think a defender is about to intercept it and it just comes right into my hands.”

Vogel, who has played baseball with Newman since the two were wee boys, may think a defender is going to intercept No. 12 but that isn't likely. Newman has been picked all of zero times this season. Not once.

“When he comes into the game, he knows his opponent, which makes it a heck of a lot easier to complete balls when you know what they are going to be doing,” Simons said.

Likely the only thing limiting what Newman can do is the one thing he can't control, Simons said.

“Unfortunately, he's 6-1,” he said. “If he were 6-5, he'd have 30 D1 offers. And it's a shame because he can play, right now, at his size and height, he can play Division 1. He can play D1.”

Newman says he wants to play in college, but he doesn't much want to talk about it. He's got the next game and the next practice to think about. He's not one to look too far down the road it seems. Unless the question has to do with goals for the Tigers.

“I want to win an NCS championship,” he said.

You can reach staff columnist Kerry Benefield at 526-8671 or kerry.benefield@pressdemocrat.com.