Triple threat
Falcon starts at QB and CB, and he’s hit two 42-yard FGS for unbeaten Comfort
Comfort football coach Brandon Easterly says quarterback Oscar Falcon rarely rattles. That quality offers the sometimes fiery Easterly a sense of, well, comfort.
“I’m kind of a live wire at times, and nothing bothers him,” Easterly said. “He’s as even keel as can be. It doesn’t matter if he’s just had a 90yard touchdown run or three straight interceptions. He’s the exact same person no matter what, and it’s awesome. It’s a great balance for me.”
Falcon is the point man for a highpowered offense that averages 418.0 yards a game and a team that is off to its best start since 2003. Class 3A Comfort (3-0) looks to build on that with a road game at Class 4A Uvalde
(1-2) tonight.
The senior has thrown for 259 yards on 15-of-35 passing with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s also rushed for 154 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries.
Although those aren’t mind-bending numbers, Falcon’s value runs deeper than that.
He’s also added defensive and special teams duties this season. Falcon took over kicking duties from cousin Ricardo Campos, who graduated in the spring.
Last Friday, the 5-foot-8 Falcon played cornerback and locked down on 6foot-4 Marion senior receiver Jayden Williams, who committed to Southern Miss as a linebacker earlier this year. Williams had four catches for 33 yards in Comfort’s 37-14 victory.
The Bobcats held Marion to l57 total yards.
“I feel we can put him
on the best receiver the other team has, and he can definitely hold his own,” Easterly said.
Falcon also made a 42-yard field goal — his second this season from that distance — against Marion.
“Oscar is such a good athlete,” Comfort running back Chris Rodriguez said. “We’re lucky to have him.”
Falcon became the Bobcats’ starting quarterback two years ago when Easterly took over as coach after serving as an assistant at Texarkana Pleasant Grove.
Falcon had shown a lot of raw talent as a freshman, leading Comfort’s junior varsity to a district title. There was no denying his athleticism then as he returned four kicks for touchdowns and two punts for scores.
Falcon was primarily a running threat as a sophomore, rushing for 1,104 yards and passing for 635 in the Bobcats’ 2-7 season.
A year ago, Falcon flipped those stats (1,028 passing, 469 rushing), and
Comfort emerged with a breakthrough 10-3 season that ended in the Class 3A Division II third round. The Bobcats had not gone that far since 2009, when they went 9-6 and advanced to the Class 3A Division I state semifinals.
“I was a lot more confident in the pocket, just standing tall and scrambling as well, keeping my eyes open down the field and being smart with it,” Falcon said of his junior season.
Easterly said Falcon’s ability to scramble and still complete accurate passes is a big asset.
“You have to have someone on him because there’s an opportunity for him to take it to the house and score,” Easterly said.
Falcon displayed everything two weeks ago in a 30-6 victory over Mason. He passed for 97 yards and two touchdowns, rushed for 115 yards with a 43-yard score, kicked a 42-yard field goal, and had a punt for 57 yards.
Falcon also plays soccer, his first sport, and it’s responsible for more than his ability to kick a football.
“I think that’s where my quickness comes into play,” Falcon said. “Soccer is very technical, and you have to be really good with your feet, and that’s definitely helped a lot with football.”
Easterly said he’d like to pass more this season, and he tried to last week against Marion. But the Bobcats changed course after Falcon was sacked twice for a total loss of 24 yards on their first series. After that, they found success on the ground with 335 yards on 49 carries.
Rodriguez rushed for 270 yards, including a 66-yard TD, on 28 carries. He also had a 32-yard TD catch. Teammate Jose Herrera rushed for one score and caught a 9-yard TD.
That’s what Falcon likes to see, and it’s a big reason why the Bobcats are off to a fast start.
“It takes a lot of pressure off my shoulders and makes the defense plan for me and for them as well,” Falcon said.