Sports Reporter
Photo: Chris Clark
crclark2@mavs.coloradomesa.edu
There’s a new quarterback on the field, and he has an impressive resumé.
Austen Fales, a senior from Salinas, Calif., began practice with the Mavericks this fall after playing spring ball with the D1 Central Connecticut State University Blue Devils in New Britain, Conn.
Last season, Fales led the Hartnell Community College Panthers to a 10-3 record and a bowl game victory at the Living Breath Foundation Bowl.
Fales was named to the California Community College Athletic Association’s 1st All-Conference Team, California’s junior college all-state team and named as the Living Breath Foundation Bowl MVP.
Fales completed 158 of 262 passes (60 percent) last season for 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Hartnell ran a pro-style offense similar to Martin’s multiple spread schemes, so Fales is picking up the system quickly. During last weekend’s preseason scrimmage, Fales threw 11 passes with no incompletions, racking up 198 yards and three touchdowns.
Although Fales will be competing for the starting quarterback position with redshirt freshman Deke Cisco, the JuCo transfer is ready to put his experience to use on the field.
“I didn’t come here to not play,” Fales said. “I’ll be prepared, and I’m still competing every day.”
So far, Fales is fitting in at CMU.
“When I’m [on the field] I feel like I have a connection with everyone,” Fales said. “The O-line, the receivers. We have a lot of speed this year, so I like to go deep.”
Fales prefers aerial attacks to ground-and-pound.
“I’m not the best runner,” he said, “I’m more of a threat with my arm than with my feet.”
Although Fales is at CMU now, Grand Junction was not his first choice.
He began his NCAA career on the East Coast, but wasn’t happy with the area surrounding CCS. Fales had already been contacted by Mavs’ coach Russ Martin, and after spring ball in Connecticut, chose to take up the offer to play at CMU where he said he was drawn because of family in the area.
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