Foothill quarterback leans on Carr for advice
When Foothill-Pleasanton senior quarterback Ben Wooldridge hurt his throwing shoulder the fifth play of the season, longtime head coach Matt Sweeney admitted: “We lost our mojo.”
But thanks in part to the help of Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, Wooldridge and the Falcons (2-2) have that swagger back heading into Friday night’s East Bay Athletic League game at 15th-ranked California-San Ramon (3-1).
“We’re going to treat it like another game, but frankly since we got the scouting report Monday, I’ve had goose bumps,” Wooldridge said. “I can’t wait for the game.”
Beyond being a top player, the 6-foot-3, 195-pound Fresno State-commit is better “in the locker room and in the huddle,” Sweeney said. “He’s an impeccable leader. The players believe in everything he says. He’s absolutely authentic.”
Sweeney, in his 31st season, has had a long lineage of productive quarterbacks, including Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford, and Rams backup Sean Mannion, the Pac-12 Conference’s career leader in passing yards while at Oregon State.
“I think Ben might be the best of all of them,” Sweeney said. “He’s serious like Sean, but he has more swag. Sean was very unselfish like Ben, but Ben brings an amazing energy to everything he does.”
So when the Falcons lost Wooldridge for the rest of their opener — a 35-26 home loss to unranked San Leandro — they sort of wilted. Even with Sweeney, considered one of the best motivators in Northern California if not the state.
The following week, against a vastly superior San Ramon Valley-Danville team, the Falcons were no match, losing 45-0. San Ramon Valley “is the real deal,” Sweeney said. “They have everything. Even with Ben, it probably wouldn’t have mattered.”
Wooldridge has played the past two weeks and not coincidently, the Falcons responded with wins over Monte VistaDanville (42-14) and Dublin (40-14).
Wooldridge said that during his two-game absence, he leaned on — of all people — Carr for advice. The two met after Wooldridge committed to Fresno State, Carr’s alma mater, and made an immediate connection.
“We talk pretty consistently,” Wooldridge said. “The first person I thought of when I got hurt was (Carr), so I called him because I knew what he went through last year.”
Carr broke his fibula in Week 16 last season and watched helplessly as the Raiders lost their final regular-season game and a wild-card game.
“He gave me great advice about getting back on the field, and encouraging teammates and getting others to step up their game,” Wooldridge said.
They’ll need to even more against Cal, a school Wooldridge attended as a freshman. He grew up in San Ramon and played with at least nine of the current Grizzlies in youth leagues. His mother moved to Pleasanton before her son’s sophomore season. It wasn’t easy. “It was tough being the new guy and the quarterback with older guys,” he said. “But those seniors on that team taught me a lot. I think about those things now as a senior.”
Sweeney said Wooldridge is a born leader. He showed that last season when the line just couldn’t protect him. “Man, he got whacked so many times . Never once did he show up his offensive linemen. He just picked himself up and kept playing. Kept leading. He’s a tough kid.”
And smart. “He understands coverages, protections, blitzes. He has the freedom to change any play. What a huge luxury to have a quarterback like that. … Fresno State is the perfect fit. Coach ( Jeff ) Tedford specializes in pro-style quarterbacks. He’s getting a good one. Ben is a winner.”
Wooldridge said all the praise — and mentorship — from Sweeney is humbling.
“For him to say those things about me, considering all the great quarterbacks that have played here, means a ton,” he said. “Coach Sweeney is a father figure to me. We’ve spent so much time together over the last three years. He’s helped me so much in so many aspects of my life.”