When a football player is asked to change positions during a season, it can cause all sorts of chaos. Whether it’s poor play from the new position or a bad attitude for the rest of the year, the move often means bad news.
But when sophomore Robert Felberg was asked to play wide receiver after spending his career as a quarterback, he not only accepted the new role gracefully, he became one of the team’s top targets.
Felberg attended Smoky Hill High School in Aurora where he broke numerous state passing records and led his team to a rare playoff appearance. After that, Felberg was ready for college football at Mesa State.
“I was really excited,” Felberg said. “I felt wanted and I loved the coaching staff. I just wanted to get here and show everybody what I could do. We are really close as a team. Coach Rammuno has really helped me out a lot on the field. He has also taught me how to be a better person and to just be the best that I can be.”
Felberg wasn’t the only quarterback signed to play for the Mavs that year. Sophomore Michael Mankoff was also a successful quarterback in high school. At their first practice together, there was a battle for the starting spot that lasted over two seasons, although the controversy hasn’t gotten in the way of the close friends.
“I’ve known him since middle school and we played on the same baseball team,” Felberg said. “Our parents have become good friends as well. We are just really close. Every time I’m in playing he is there to give me support and when he’s in I’m there supporting him. Now that we are on the field together we can help each other out more. We still have classes together and we do homework together.”
Before the move to receiver, Felberg started at quarterback. But he wasn’t out there long. Mankoff would come in for him just a few possessions later. In just a few more possessions, Felberg would be back in. The flip-flopping lasted for a season, and it was no help to the quarterbacks.
“That was one of the hardest things I had to go through here, just being put in and put out,” Felberg said. “It made me scared to make a mistake. It did also motivate me. When (coach) benched me I just wanted to go back out and show that I can do what coach wants me to do.”
It was in the second week of the season that the idea of Felberg playing as a receiver came to be. After losing 31-9 and dropping to 0-2, both Ramunno and Felberg felt like a change was needed.
“When coach asked me at the end of the game if I wanted to play receiver, it was just kind of ‘why not?’,” Felberg said.
Felberg is second on the team with 20 receptions and two touchdowns. He leads the team with 289 yards receiving and 14.4 yards per catch. When the decision was made, nobody knew how successful he would be.
“Without any experience, I didn’t expect to do so well,” Felberg said. “It was a lot easier transition that I thought, though. Going in with Mankoff, it’s easy because he stays true to his reads. I know when I’m getting the ball and when I’m not because he stays consistent.”
During the team’s 33-28 Rivalry Week win against Western State, Felberg caught a 45-yard touchdown pass from Mankoff to put the Mavs up 14-0. When Mankoff hurt his elbow late in the game with the team trailing, Felberg came in and threw the game winning touchdown pass. For his efforts, he was awarded the National Football Foundation & College Hall of Fame – Colorado Chapter Player of the Week, an award that goes to the best player in the state, no matter what level of college it is.
“That was actually a pretty big honor and I felt very grateful to get that,” Felberg said. “It was nice getting it just because I go against all the big schools as well in the state. I couldn’t have done it without the rest of my team, obviously. The whole offense did great the game. That 45-yard catch was really great just because we practiced that all week and I knew it was coming again that play.”
No matter what Felberg’s role is on the field, he is always looking forward to contributing the best way possible. Yes, Felberg loves being a playmaker, but his goal is to win.
“It’s good to win the award, but I just want to win. We were fortunate to beat Western,” Felberg said. “I’m beginning to feel like a team leader out there. Whatever my position is I’m always talking in the huddle or on the sidelines and people are starting to listen. But my only goal for the rest of the season is to finish at an even record. It has been a little bit of a disappointing season just because we expected to win the RMAC. It’s a bit of a downer, but we are finishing strong.”
u
ahimes@mesastate.edu