UH considers QB Whieldon a catch

By Stephen Tsai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Jason Whieldon transferred from Saddleback Community College in January. Advertiser library photo

If Chang, a St. Louis School quarterback and the state's top high school prospect, did not sign with the Warriors in 2000, Jones was prepared to offer a scholarship to Jason Whieldon of California.

Chang signed and became the Warriors' starting quarterback, and Whieldon went to Saddleback Community College in Mission Viejo, Calif. But after Chang suffered a fractured right pinkie on his throwing hand Thursday, Jones is turning to Whieldon, who transferred from Saddleback in January.

"We liked Jason for a long time," Jones said. "If Timmy hadn't come here, we were going to give his scholarship to Jason. If you looked at (high school) films of Jason, you knew he could play. Everybody would have recruited him if he was 6-2, but because he's 6 feet tall, he didn't get a chance to go to a four-year school right away."

"I'm 6-1," Whieldon protested.

"The size thing doesn't bother me because we're in the shotgun most of the time," Jones said later. "It's not like Jason is under the center and can't see. He's already six yards back, so he can see everything. His height is not a factor. It hasn't been for Rolo — former UH quarterback Nick Rolovich — or a guy named Doug Flutie."

Said Whieldon: "It hasn't been a problem before and I don't think it will be a problem now."

Then again, Whieldon has rarely backed away from a challenge. On a whim, he decided to try out for his high school's junior varsity football team as a freshman. He had no previous experience in organized football.

On the first day of practice, he recalled, "they kind of asked which position I wanted to play. I said, 'quarterback,' and I went from there."

He played on the junior varsity team as a freshman, and was the varsity's starting quarterback as a sophomore. But except for UH, Whieldon did not attract much interest from other Division I-A programs.

Whieldon then went to Saddleback, where he started for two seasons. "I gained a lot of experience," he said. "It was better for me in the long run."

Whieldon became the latest to travel the Saddleback-to-UH pipeline, a route frequented by basketball players. Seven former Saddleback players have played on the UH basketball team, including Anthony Carter of the Miami Heat.

"I actually played basketball against A.C.," Whieldon said. "He dunked on me."

Whieldon signed with UH last December, then enrolled at UH in January. He competed in spring practice, and reported to training camp last week No. 3 on the depth chart.

"He has a lot to learn, but he's getting better every day," Jones said. "He was better today and he'll be better tomorrow. It's a matter of getting in there and doing it."

Whieldon said he developed patience on the open sea. "I love deep-sea fishing," he said. "My dad's a fisherman, and it's a good bonding experience to go out with him."

Whieldon has fished in waters off San Diego and Mexico. He once caught a 150-pound striped marlin after a one-hour battle.

"I hope I can catch a blue one out here," Whieldon said. "Marlin get a little bigger out here."

His first catch was off Mexico. "We ate it at the hotel," he recalled. "It was a good one. It always tastes better when you catch it yourself. That's one thing I've learned. Hard work has the best taste."