Catching on quickly - Potter gives Colonels plenty of versatility

September 17, 2010

By Robert Niedzwiecki
The Winchester Star       

Potter gives Colonels plenty of versatility
WINCHESTER- There was nothing to like about Trae Tinsman's interception during practice - thrown 40 yards across his body to the opposite side of the field - and James Wood High School football coach Mike Bolin let him know it.

"I knew what Trae was doing," said Bolin, recounting the moment from last season following Tuesday's practice. "He was trying to get his cousin the ball, because he wanted him to be able to play. He wanted us to look at him.

"I said, 'You're hurting him more than you're helping him. If I think you're just going to throw to him whenever he's on the field, he'll never see the field.'"

Nowadays, no excuses are needed to throw the ball to junior Chad Potter - and reasons to keep him off the field are hard to come by. Potter had a breakout performance in last week's 28-7 win over Musselman (W.Va.). He caught four passes for 63 yards (including a 22-yard touchdown) had six tackles and a 43-yard interception return as a free safety, and returned a punt 23 yards.

Potter might not have games like that every week, but this season he'll have the chance to.

"He's just athletic," Bolin said. "We've got to get him the ball, because he does really good things when he's got the ball."

It took substantial growth in a very short time - both literally and figuratively - for Potter to get where he is now.

When Potter arrived at James Wood as a freshman, he had two changes to adjust to - moving to wide receiver from quarterback, a position he had played since age 9, and growing five inches over the summer.

He wasn't complaining about either one, though. Potter's growth spurt helped him become bigger and faster (he's now 5-feet-11 and 160 pounds). And he can't imagine anything more enjoyable than playing wide receiver, particularly when it comes to crucial situations. 

 "What I love is when it's third down and you can make the big play," said Potter, who overall has six catches for 75 yards for the 2-0 Colonels. "That third down, everyone's depending on you to make a play."

Shortly after Tinsman's practice interception last year, Bolin and his staff put Potter on the field because he had earned a spot. By midseason, he was in James Wood's four-receiver sets, and he finished the year with five catches for 70 yards.

"He's not the tallest guy, he's not the fastest guy, he's not the quickest guy," Bolin said. "But we have faith if we throw him the ball, he can catch it. We didn't do that a lot last year, but he made a few big catches for us."

Almost every one of his catches was critical against Musselman, including two on those third-down plays he loves so much.

With James Wood leading 7-0 and facing a 3rd-and-8 on its own 13, Potter made a catch at the 26, broke a tackle, and ran to the 41 before he was brought down for a 28-yard gain. That kick-started an 89-yard touchdown drive that put the Colonels up 14.

After Musselman cut James Wood's lead to 14-7 in the third quarter, the Colonels found themselves in the red zone with a 3rd-and-5 play from the 16.

The Colonels had struggled mightily inside the 20 against Washington (W.Va.) in Week 1, converting just just two field goals in four trips. But this time quarterback Matt Copley hit Potter on a quick 6-yard out to keep the drive alive. Cory Schrock ran the ball in on the next play to once again put James Wood up 14.

"I definitely trust every one of my receivers to catch," said Copley, who took over as the starting quarterback this season after Tinsman graduated. "But Chad's been a go-to man so far. He's never proved me wrong when I throw to him, and he's made some big plays on 3rd-and-long. He's definitely someone I look to."

Copley not only trusts Potter's hands, but also his decisions.

On the 22-yard touchdown pass they connected on in the fourth quarter, Potter was initially supposed to run a deep post. Copley recognized a blitz from the outside linebacker position, and Potter did too. Potter changed his route into a quick slant, caught a pass over the middle and went in untouched, making it look easy.

Taking it a step further than Bolin, Copley and Potter each said Potter's "not the fastest guy in the world," which is why, on plays like that one, his hands and his awareness make a big difference.

"I've got to make my routes as crisp as possible," said Potter, part of a deep receiving corps that also features tight end David Alaniz, wide receiver T.J. Bruce and running back Chris Skinner.

Potter's athleticism and his attention to detail are why, shortly after the first day of practice in August, James Wood defensive coordinator Tim Combs thought Potter would be the perfect answer to one of James Wood's burning questions - who should play free safety?

Potter was a cornerback on James Wood's freshman team. But he never practiced on defense as a sophomore, and he never played safety before this year.

He's quickly grown to love it almost as much as wide receiver.

"The keys to free safety are stay smart and don't get beat deep," Potter said.

On James Wood's first defensive play this year, Potter didn't adhere to that rule. A Washington receiver blew past the Colonels secondary but, fortunately for Potter, he dropped the ball.

Ever since, Potter has been a key member of a stout Colonels' defense that's giving up just seven points and 182 yards per game.

Potter's nine tackles have him tied for fourth on the team, and he showed on his 43-yard interception return he's picking up the basics pretty quickly. On that play, he backpedaled, read Musselman quarterback Korey Jackson's eyes, and made a break on the ball.

"He's just instinctive and really smart," Bolin said. "He baited that quarterback into throwing that ball. You watch it on film, and he was in perfect position. He played off the receiver's hip, cut in front of him and made a play.

"Coach Combs has done a really good job coaching him up. I think [Potter] understands what's going on in front of him, and that's what makes him a good safety."

Potter's taken to returning kicks just as quickly as he's taken to safety. His 23-yard return against Musselman was the first of his career.

"I'm doing a lot of new stuff this year," Potter said with a smile.

Bolin said he certainly deserves the chance.

"He shows up every day in the weight room," Bolin said. "He's one of those guys who worked really hard in the offseason. He's just really progressed into a solid football player."

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