Deer Creek QB Alex Christensen a dual-threat
High School Football: Deer Creek quarterback doesn’t shy from collisions

BY ROBERT PRZYBYLO, Staff Writer, bprzybylo@opubco.com Comments 0
Published: October 6, 2009

EDMOND — No one is going to confuse Deer Creek junior quarterback Alex Christensen with former Antlers quarterback Dax Dilbeck.

Deer Creek quarterback Alex Christensen is a dual-threat quarterback, but he’s different in that he’ll go through a defender rather than around him. PHOTO BY JOHN CLANTON, THE OKLAHOMAN

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Duncan (4-1, 2-0) vs. Deer Creek (3-2, 2-0)

→When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

→Where: Deer Creek High, 6101 NW 206th St., Edmond

→Scouting report: It’s a huge week in District 5A-1 as the four 2-0 teams take on each other. Lawton MacArthur and El Reno is the other contest. Deer Creek has won its first two district games by a combined 84-17. Duncan is giving up less than 15 points per game, and its only loss is to Carl Albert.

Dilbeck was a starter for four years and could hurt you as much with his elusiveness running the ball as he could with his arm.

Dilbeck, 6-foot-1 and 193 pounds, is now a redshirt freshman at Oregon State.

Christensen can also run the ball as well as throw it. But he’s not looking to go around you — he’s looking to go through you. At 6-3 and 220 pounds and also a state-qualifying wrestler, there aren’t too many collisions Christensen shies away from.

"He is a load,” Deer Creek coach Grant Gower said. "He’s a real physical runner. We’re running a lot of the same schemes as we did with Dax but going about it a different way.”

The last two weeks have seen Christensen begin to find his footing as the leader of the huddle.

While a lot of Deer Creek players have been out because of the flu or injury, Christensen has remained healthy.

Gower said the team hasn’t had all of its starters on the field at the same time since the second quarter of a loss to Shawnee in Week 2.

Deer Creek was 1-2 in non-district play, but with the help of Christensen and the running game, the Antlers are 2-0 in 5A-1.

"Alex has changed dramatically (in the last couple of weeks),” junior running back Colten Sander said. "He’s a lot more authoritative and a lot more comfortable.”

Christensen admits it took him a little time to get adjusted. He was involved in a three-way battle for the starting job all through August with senior Tyson Wade and sophomore Hunter Dinkines.

His start in Week 1 against Piedmont was his first varsity start. He’s matured as district play has begun, punctuated by rushing for 125 yards and two touchdowns and throwing for two scores in a 42-7 win last week at Western Heights.

Teammates and the coaches are calling Christensen the high school version of Florida quarterback Tim Tebow because of his size and the way he approaches the game.

"I think it’s awesome that they say that,” Christensen said. "Being compared to Tim Tebow for anything is a really good thing.”

While Christensen knows he has a ways to go to live up to the moniker, his numbers through five games aren’t anything to be ashamed of. Christensen has thrown for 428 yards and six touchdowns and has rushed for 329 yards and four scores.