New QB Lassiter Thriving In Tough Spot

If replacing an elite player is a difficult task, then replacing an elite player on an elite team has got to be one pressure-filled endeavor.

For quarterback Carson Lassiter, that was the exact scenario, as the junior was thrust into the starting role following a brilliant season by the Matt McHale-led state championship team of 2010.

With question marks littering the Madison roster entering a season that followed one of the Dodgers' most successful ever, Lassiter's preparation and ability would truly be tested.

And as Madison gets set for a North 2, Group II state championship game against Summit on Friday night, it's become quite clear that the junior immediately helped answer some of those preseason questions. Lassiter is only the second quarterback in school history poised to lead a Dodger team to a 12-win season.

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With Lassiter considered the most likely heir apparent to McHale entering this season, the Madison coaching staff wanted to do its best to get him acclimated to the position as a sophomore. And because the Dodgers trounced opponents early and often last season, Lassiter and other underclassmen regularly found in-game experience late in games.

“Coach Kubik had a big part in [my preparation],” Lassiter said. “He had a lot of faith in us and towards the end of last season he tried to get myself and Shone [Register] incorporated [in the offense].”

While closing out Dodger blowouts undoubtedly aided Lassiter's progression as a quarterback, the fact remains that running out the clock late in games can only help develop a player so much. So, Lassiter took to studying, with the help of a few mentors including McHale and Madison quarterbacks coach Marty Horn.

“Matt McHale and coach Horn helped teach me the ins and outs of a defense,” Lassiter explained. “They showed me how to read defenses and coverages, and I would have to understand what coach was doing when he called a play. I had to be inside his head, and I had to understand the defense.”

Thus began the development of Lassiter, who stands five inches shorter than the 6-foot-2 McHale, but remains just as much a threat to find the end zone as the former Dodger QB.

“[Coach Horn and I] just worked hard over the summer, worked on my passing game and running game, and tried to incorporate my style [into the offense], because I’m a lot smaller than Matt McHale,” Lassiter explained. “But we’ve learned to use my size and my ability to our advantage, and the plays we started putting in really brought my ability out.”

This season, the Dodger signal-caller wasn’t at all bashful when carrying the rock, as Lassiter found the end zone 13 times–good enough for second on the team–while racking up just less than 500 yards on 65 carries.

“His rushing stats are very similar to Matt’s as a junior,” head coach Chris Kubik said of Lassiter. “Matt threw for a little bit more yardage than him, but he’s put the ball in the air a little bit for us at times when we’ve needed it. Having that running quarterback takes pressure off your fullback and your halfback, and some other people. And him stepping into that role was really important for us.”

The 5-foot-9 Lassiter was prepared though, knowing that running hard with the ball and taking hits in the pocket is just something that comes with the territory of being QB1.

“Matt McHale also told me to just be tough in there [and that] you’re going to take a couple of shots, but you’ve got to stay strong because you’re the leader of that team." 

"If your team see’s you frustrated or mad, then they’re going to start getting frustrated," he continued. "You have to keep your calm and just be a leader out there.”

When Madison’s primary offensive threat, Justin Goodwin, went down after a hard hit in a Week 5 matchup, it was Lassiter who quickly came to the rescue, leading Madison to what was then its 17th straight win.

The Madison quarterback–who heaps all of the praise on his offensive line and skill players for the successes of the offense–carried the ball 17 times for 79 yards and scored all four Madison touchdowns, leading the Dodgers to a .

“It’s that competitive drive,” he explained. “Having Justin on our team is a huge help to us, one of the best running backs in the county. Having Shone Register also [in the backfield] is great, along with my offensive line and the rest of the team being supportive. But it’s just that competitive drive that takes over. If one guy goes down, we have a bunch of guys who can fill his spot.”

In addition to the game changing ground attack, the “run-first” quarterback went 6 of 8 passing for 100 yards in the win.

But don’t expect Lassiter to start boasting about his individual stats, as he's quick to say that the only stats he's concerned with are wins.

“I just do whatever it takes to win," he said, “and I think our team does that too.”

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