The Command's New QBs

With the Command offense struggling to score points thus far in 2012, coach Danton Barto chose to make sweeping changes at the quarterback position, bringing in two new players to compete with one another for the starting job.
Matt Guttierrez (6-4, 230, Idaho State) came to the Command in a trade with Arizona. He was a member of the Kansas City Chiefs active roster in 2009 as well as the New England Patriots in 2007 and 2008. He was most recently in training camp last fall with the Washington Redskins. Guttierrez has appeared in six NFL regular season games.
Gutierrez (pron. GUTE-ee-AIR-ez) wrapped up his college career at Idaho State after playing three years at Michigan. He was named Idaho State’s Outstanding Newcomer of the Year in 2006, throwing for 2,237 yards and 16 touchdowns. He was named the starter at Michigan heading into the 2004 season, but a shoulder injury suffered in practice resulted in him not attempting
a pass that year.
He played his prep football at California powerhouse De La Salle High School. He threw for over 5,000 yards and 64 touchdowns with just nine interceptions in his career. De La Salle went 50-0 and won four straight national championships
during his four-year high school career.
“He’s got a lot to learn about our offense, but him being in camp with the Rattlers
helps him understand the game,” Barto said. “He’s a smart guy and I think he’ll adjust quickly.”
Zack Eskridge (6-4, 220, Midwestern State) joins the roster as a free agent. He started 31 games in a three-year career at Midwestern State in Wichita Falls. He finished his career with numerous school records including passing yards (6,953), touchdown passes (64), completions (570), passing attempts (867), completion percentage (65.7), pass efficiency rating (152.9), 300-yard passing games (6) and 200-yard passing games (21). He also owns numerous Midwestern
State single-season records.
As a junior, Eskridge had his best season, leading the Mustangs to their first Lone Star Conference championship. He was named a finalist for the prestigious
Harlon Hill Award and was the Lone Star Conference South Division Offensive Player of the Year, setting school records with 3,295 passing yards and 29 touchdowns.
He started his career at TCU before transferring to Midwestern State after his redshirt freshman season.
Eskridge signed a rookie free agent contract last fall and participated in training
camp with the Dallas Cowboys. His grandfather, Jack Eskridge, was the first-ever equipment manager for the Cowboys from 1960-72 and helped design
the team’s famous star logo and was also a Phog Allen assistant at Kansas from 1954-1960.
“For a guy that’s never even seen Arena Football, it’s been shocking how well he is picking up the game,” Barto said of Eskridge. “He understands what people are trying to do. I think with both of these quarterbacks, they’re willing to take what defenses are giving them.”
Barto indicated evaluations of the new quarterbacks would continue throughout
the week and gave no timeline on announcing a starter.