The footballs, helmets and throng of players are nowhere in sight. The constant chirp of a coach’s whistle has been replaced by the distant hum of a plane high above Servite’s practice field.
The required summer break for Travis Waller and the school’s football team is clearly underway, but the senior quarterback’s competitive spirit isn’t fully cooperating on this afternoon as he sits in the stands.
He’s already talking about the season opener and plotting his rise at the Elite 11 Finals, a nationwide quarterback camp that runs Saturday through Monday at Nike World Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore.
“They call it camp-etition there,” Waller said.
“You can compete against all top quarterbacks. It’s me and 17 others quarterbacks all fighting to be in the Elite 11, but the highest (honor) is to be the Elite 11 MVP, so everyone is striving for that.”
The annual camp, led by ex-NFL quarterback and ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer, will have a Southern California feel.
San Clemente’s Sam Darnold will give Orange County two representatives at the prestigious camp, and Santiago of Corona’s Blake Barnett (Alabama commit), Rancho Verde’s Sheriron Jones (Florida), St. John Bosco’s Josh Rosen (UCLA), St. Bonaventure of Ventura’s Ricky Town (USC) and Hart of Newhall’s Brady White (Arizona State) also are among the field, validating the claim that Southern California possesses one of its best quarterback classes in years.
“I’m just going to compete with the best and learn from the best,” Darnold said. “I set out to be the MVP. It will be fun.”
Waller and Darnold are two of the fastest rising quarterbacks in the group.
The dual-threat Waller (6-3, 195) is a first-team All-County selection last season who committed to Oregon on Tuesday. He trains with quarterbacks guru Steve Clarkson, and recently has been working out with his cousin, Troy Williams, a quarterback at the University of Washington and an Elite 11 alumnus.
“This season, I’ll be reading coverages more,” Waller said. “I think I’ll be a more elaborate passer.”
The 6-foot-4, 205-pound Darnold missed the last seven games of last season because of a broken left foot, but he has emerged as a major Pac-12 recruit. He was recently offered by USC and also holds offers from Oregon, Oregon State, Tennessee and Northwestern among others.
“Sam is one of the nation’s hottest recruits due to a great spring,” San Clemente coach Jaime Ortiz said.
Darnold, who trains privately with Bob Bosanko, said he could announce his college decision after his upcoming trek to Beaverton, which also includes The Opening, a national combine and 7-on-7 competition that follows the Elite 11.
The Friars, who start their season Aug. 29 aginst Bishop Gorman of Las Vegas, are loaded with returning players, and Maxpreps ranked them No. 10 in its national preseason poll.
Waller has cautioned his teammates not to focus on the rankings or the added attention.
“We have high expectations,” Waller said. “Right now, we’re just trying to build that team chemistry and just make sure we’re on the right track and just focusing on each game.”
This is the so-called summer dead period for most football teams, but Waller remains in competition mode.
Contact the writer: dalbano@ocregister.com
