New QB ready to lead champion Cavaliers

Let’s just address the elephant in the room now, shall we?

Michael Brewer follows record-setting QB Garrett Gilbert at Lake Travis.

Lake Travis quarterback Michael Brewer is aware you might feel the desire to compare him to former Cavalier quarterback Garrett Gilbert. And he’s OK with that.

But it really doesn’t matter to him, his teammates, Coach Chad Morris or the rest of the coaching staff.

They’ve got a handle on what Brewer can accomplish, and they’re not too concerned.

“The first thing Coach Morris always tells me is that I can’t worry about being anybody but myself,” Brewer said. “The second thing is to play within myself and remember that there’s only so much I can control, and I have to take what the defense gives me. Not every play is going to be a touchdown.”

It may be hard to believe, but not every play Gilbert was a part of was a touchdown, either. Seriously.

It’s true that, like Gilbert, Brewer has a famous quarterback dad that you might have heard of by the name of Robert Brewer. The elder Brewer was the hero of the 1982 Cotton Bowl for Texas, taking down Alabama.

And like Gilbert, Brewer has his lines down, praising his teammates in every situation and finding ways to deflect attention from himself.

After that, the similarities pretty much disappear.

Gilbert wore No. 7, Brewer wears No. 16. Gilbert’s frame (6-4, 200) was more prototypical than Brewer’s frame (6-1, 180). Gilbert dazzled with his arm, Brewer can do a few more things with his feet.

“I think I’ll surprise people with my arm,” Brewer said. “I’ve really worked hard in the offseason to get better on deep routes.”

Oh yeah, Brewer and Gilbert share a similar work ethic.

“Since day one, we’ve prepared Michael to be our quarterback,” Morris said. “And no one works harder or puts in as much time as he does, day-in and day-out. We have players right there with him, but no one outworks that kid.”

Brewer saw a fair amount of action last season considering the guy he was backing up, completing 11 passes on 25 attempts for 143 yards and two interceptions. On the ground, he ran 37 times for 145 yards and three touchdowns, and at receiver, he caught 10 passes for 87 yards and a touchdown. He did a little bit of everything, and he said he’s all the better for it.

“I think you really get a feel for what a receiver is thinking when he steps up to the line,” Brewer said. “That’s only going to help me when I’m looking at our guys and the opposing defense when I line up.”

He’s pretty sure it will lead to plenty of success, too.

“Our goals didn’t change, obviously,” he said. “The goal is to get back to the state championship, and I really think we can do it. The players we have are just too good, and they’re going to make my job a lot easier.”

But that road starts in the Cavaliers’ first game of the season at Westwood, and even though he’s got a full year of varsity football under his belt, Brewer thinks there’s still going to be some nerves on that first Friday night.

“Of course I’m going to be nervous. I’d be worried if I wasn’t,” he laughed. “But I think everything I’ve been through on the field will make it a lot easier to settle in.”

But what happens when nerves or anxiousness lead to an interception? What happens when the whispers about the Cavs’ demise start?

“Is he going to make mistakes? Of course,” Morris said. “But we’re going to do everything in our power to keep him out of tough situations, and it should never all fall on him, anyway. I have every confidence that in time, he’s going to be really special.”

But he won’t ever be Garrett Gilbert.

He’ll win a lot of games at Lake Travis, though.

And when he’s done, it’ll be time to debate another Cavalier quarterback legacy.

Sit back and enjoy the Brewer era first.

Cavaliers still loaded for another title run

Lake Travis has been absolutely indestructible for 30 games, but the Cavs lost a handful of talented players from that squad that will be hard to replace, including three (Garrett Gilbert, Paden Kelley and Cade McCrary) to the University of Texas football program.

Lake Travis has been absolutely indestructible for 30 games, but the Cavs lost a handful of talented players from that squad that will be hard to replace, including three (Garrett Gilbert, Paden Kelley and Cade McCrary) to the University of Texas football program.

So the question has to be, what’s next for Lake Travis?

“I’ll be honest, I don’t want to say we’ll surprise people, but I think we’re going to be right back playing at a high level,” Lake Travis head coach Chad Morris said. “There’s going to be a learning curve for a lot of younger players, but we’ve got some great veteran leadership, too.”

Three linemen return from one of the biggest and best offensive lines in the state, including guard and two-year letterman Ian Kelso. Receiver Andy Erickson (665 rushing, six TDs; 69 catches, 549 yards, six TDs) does a little bit of everything. 

All-state linebacker Quinton Crow (198 tackles, 9 TFL, 5 sacks) and partner-in-crime Ian Lazarus (98 tackles, 10 TFL) are two of the four returners back on defense.