Freshman Quarterback Making a Name

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Photo by Kevin Sims

Scrambling — Scott Buisson rushes up the middle against Harding. Buisson finished the day with 86 yards on the ground en route to breaking a school record in total offense.

   Going into the Harding game, Scott Buisson played like any true freshman quarterback does. He showed signs of brilliance between misreads and mistakes.

   He made plays Gwaine Mathews expected him to make when he recruited him out of Arch Bishop Rummel last fall, but also threw more interceptions than touchdowns.

   Until the Harding game, Scott Buisson lost his first three starts as the University of Arkansas at Monticello’s quarterback. He left the game as the Division II offensive player of the week.

   “What was going through my head is we have to keep playing,” Buisson said “Stats or anything didn’t matter; I was just trying to get a win.”

   But stats he piled up. He finished the day 27-45 with 484 yards, a UAM freshman record, and four touchdowns. He also rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown. He set a school record in total yards at 570.

   In the game, the team broke the Gulf South Conference record for total yards, setting the bar at 812 and set a school record for most first downs in a game at 31.

   Mathews said Buisson played as advertised.

   “Don’t put the crown on him yet,” Mathews said. “When you recruit a player like that, he should do it.”

   Going into the 2007 season, Mathews needed a high-profile quarterback to lead the resurrection of the Boll Weevils. He found the player he needed in his hometown of Metairie, La., in the Louisiana Class 5A MVP.

   “Coach Mathews got in touch with my head coach and we just started talking because Coach Mathews is from my hometown and he knew about our school,” Buisson said. “He came to one of my basketball practices and he called me the next day or two and he brought me up here. He offered while I was visiting.”

   Called too short to play quarterback in Division I at 5’10”, Buisson said he uses those words as motivation to excel at the college level.

   During his high school career, Buisson never threw more than 25 passes and as a starter he compiled a 16-4 record.

   Times have changed for 19-year old freshman. This summer he took the reigns of a team on a seven-game losing steak. The coaching staff expects him to lead a spread offense, throwing close to 40 passes a game.

   Buisson said the game itself is different at the college level.

   “The game speed, it’s a lot faster,” he said. “In college people hit a lot harder. You have to spend more time looking at film. You got to know what you’re doing on the film.

   “In the game you have to be more focused. Back in high school you just go out in play. Now I have to learn defenses and learn everything about the other team.”

   He works daily with new offensive coordinator Will Hall to be able to read defenses faster and more efficiently.

Photo by Kevin Sims

In the Pocket — Scott Buisson sets up to throw. Buisson broke the school's freshman record, throwing for 484 yards against Harding.

   “Since coach Hall is the quarterback coach I spend a lot me and him watching film and talking about football,” he said. “He’s definitely there when I need him. He is teaching me football because he was a quarterback in college. He’s teaching me how to read defenses, how to look at it easier. Since he played quarterback, it’s easier for me to learn from him.”

   Buisson said he also gets advice from last year’s starter Elijah McDonald. McDonald picks things up on the sidelines and relays them to Buisson during the game and also tells the freshman quarterback things he picked up last season.

   But with all the help Buisson gets, he said he was born to be a quarterback.

   “I was knowing football since I was born. It’s been my life since I was little; it’s all I know,” he said. “I’ve been a quarterback and I know a quarterback is a leadership position. Once I was named the starter you automatically become a leader on the field.”

   But leadership does have some downfalls, Buisson said. Being younger than most his teammates, he still looks up to most of them and he says it’s sometimes hard to lead when your still “green.”

   Like any other freshman, Buisson said he works hard trying to make the transition into college life. With the added pressure of practice, weight lifting and watching film on top of a full work load in class, he said the key to success is time management.

   When his playing days are over, Buisson still is undecided on what his future holds.

   “If I had to think about it I probably want to stay in same line of sports. A coach or an agent or trainer or something like that,” he said.