WSU Football: Connor Halliday Says “Just Keep Doing What I’m Doing and I’ll Be Great”

Nov. 10, 2012; Pullman, WA, USA; Washington State Cougars quarterback Connor Holliday (12) waits for the snap against the UCLA Bruins during the first half at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Snook-USA TODAY Sports

It’s often a phenomenally undersold trait in football; confidence in oneself. Though everybody talks about having it, not enough good players can keep it because in today’s world of football-scrutiny it’s so easy to lose. Generally, those that do keep it emerge as the great players on the field.

Enter Connor Halliday?

There are those that have called for his head over and over again this offseason, and it must be easy to get discouraged as a player if you read publications that you’re in some kind of “dead-heat” with a freshman quarterback who’s never played under the lights. I mean there are two ways this could go because yeah he’s a freshman but at the same time, wasn’t it Connor who came in on a chilly night as a freshman and lit up ASU to the tune of records and a win and all that? He knows it can be done.

But on Friday, Connor calmly (and maturly) shrugged off the question of how he felt he was going to win the quarterback job with a few praises for his presumed back-up and an easy suggestion to himself.

"Just keep doing what I’m doing, leading the offense. If I keep playing the way I’m playing I’ll be great. But Austin’s a heck of a quarterback, Austin’s got a very strong arm, Austin’s very mobile. So he’s a great competitor too."

He left it at that and that’s probably all I need to hear to know that Connor’s ready right now to take this thing by the horns. But he said something earlier in the after-practice interview that caught my attention too:

"We gotta get our tempo up. It’s the first day of camp (so it’s nothing to worry about) but it’s on me to get us going and get the tempo up."

Why does that strike me? He doesn’t talk about either of the other quarterbacks. Halliday understands his role as a leader and has already taken it over this Fall. You can bet that he is indeed ready to be yet another “great” in the long line of great quarterbacks at “QBU”.

By the way, Connor has lightened up the hair quite a bit and is now sporting a bleached-blonde look as opposed to the bright red hair of the past couple seasons. Just one of those extra notes that means absolutely nothing.

Go Cougs!