Tune sees team as his to carry
UH’s clear No. 1 QB asserts himself after tumultuous first two seasons
On the first day of spring practice in February, Clayton Tune jogged into the University of Houston’s indoor football facility and went through his normal routine.
No big announcement. No depth chart to offer confirmation.
“Just went with the flow,” Tune said.
Of all the checklist items needed to sort through once the coronavirus pandemic ends, the Cougars don’t have to worry about one thing: this is, finally, Tune’s team.
Coach Dana Holgorsen says so.
Perhaps, just as importantly, Tune believes it.
“Just taking more of a leadership role, feeling like it’s my team,” Tune said about entering his first season as the full-time starter, and added: “It’s starting to feel that way.”
Pardon Tune if it takes time, especially after the journey his first two college seasons.
As a freshman during the 2018 season, Tune was only supposed to play in four games and finish as the third-string quarterback, which would allow him to retain a year of eligibility. He had played in two games when starter D’Eriq King — off to a career year with 50 total touchdowns — suffered a season-ending torn meniscus in mid-November.
Behind the scenes, UH
coach Major Applewhite was faced with a dilemma. During the offseason, the Cougars had brought in Quinten Dormady, a transfer from Tennessee, to serve as the backup. Dormady, however, informed the staff around midseason that he wanted to preserve his redshirt to transfer elsewhere for his final year (he eventually landed at Central Michigan).
Tune replaced King in the Nov. 15 game against Tulane and started the final regular season game against Memphis and the postseason, a 70-14 loss to Army in the Armed Forces Bowl. His last appearance was the fifth of the season, ending any chance at a redshirt season.
Again, Tune was on track to redshirt behind King in 2019, the Cougars’ first season under Holgorsen. After a 1-3 start, those plans were scrapped when King opted to redshirt the rest of the season. On Jan. 13, during the College Football Playoff national championship game, King announced he would play his final season at Miami.
In between, Tune gave a glimpse of the future, throwing for 1,533 yards and 11 touchdowns in seven games while dealing with a nagging hamstring injury.
Tune suffered the injury on a run in the fourth quarter of his first start against North Texas. He tweaked it a few weeks later and missed a road game against Connecticut.
“My hamstring was bothering me throughout the rest of the season,” Tune said. “Leading up to Cincinnati, I wasn’t sure if I was going to play. I tweaked it and from that point on it was bothering me. (Now) it feels fine. I’m 100 percent good to go.”
Lessons were learned during Tune’s first extended playing time.
“Just to attack every day like I’m the starter, which now I am” Tune said before the COVID-19 public health crisis abruptly ended UH’s spring after eight practices. “I wish I would have done that a little more in the past.
“The thing about going into a game, if you are prepared the way you should be, you should have no doubts and play freely.
“That’s something I feel I need to do better and will do better going forward.”
Holgorsen left no doubt about the pecking order in the quarterback room, saying Tune is “the clear No. 1 and there’s no quarterback controversy.”
“He doesn’t have to hold back anymore,” Holgorsen said during the spring. “He feels like this is his team. I think that’s going to make him a better player knowing that he’s the guy.”
After some “head spinning” at times, Tune is looking forward to another year in Holgorsen’s Air Raid system, which generally produces significant improvement in the second season.
“Knowing where to go with the ball each play … I feel that comes a lot easier with Year 2,” Tune said. “I just feel a lot more comfortable being back there trusting my eyes and trusting what I see.”
Tune also used part of the spring to get acquainted with new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Shannon Dawson, who was promoted this offseason after having an active role in play-calling last season. It’s the third position coach in three years for Tune.
“Clayton is a talented kid,” Dawson said. “I think the future is bright for him.”
Tune no longer must wait for his turn.
“Obviously it’s really good knowing I’m the guy, that it’s my team,” he said. “It is very exciting.”