The Man, The Myth, The Minshew
Timothy Holcombe, Staff Writer
Gardner Minshew, the new QB for the Jacksonville Jaguars, has become a nation-wide focal point and phenomenon.
This is not just because of his ability on the field, but also for his ability to grow such an interesting looking mustache. Yes, this quarterback has an absolutely mean looking mustache growing on his face.
Minshew took over as starting quarterback for the Jaguars after the recently-signed starting quarterback, Nick Foles, suffered a broken clavicle in the first game of the Jaguar’s season against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Minshew entered into the game and in a condensed amount of time, he completed 22 of 25 passes for 275 yards and 2 touchdowns. He immediately garnered attention from fans from all across the league, as the rookie began winning games on his own, much to the shock of many.
He’s been taking the NFL by storm for a few weeks, and it’s pretty clear now that Minshew is a star in the making, and is no joke when it comes to being an effective QB in the NFL.
Before Gardner became a star, however, he had to navigate his way through college at Washington State, and after he graduated, he was not a big name going into the NFL Draft. Many people compare the unlikely rise of Minshew to the origins of Tom Brady’s success, coming on in relief of Drew Bledsoe after an injury sidelined him. With Brady, the rest was history. Many people wonder if Minshew is in for similar success.
In college at Washington State, Minshew played in an Air Raid offense. This is a form of offense in which the quarterback throws anywhere around 50-60 pass attempts a game. Mike Leach, Minshew’s head coach in college and one of college football’s biggest personalities, has run this offense for many years with the Cougars. This gave Minshew plenty of experience and set him up for success as he entered into the NFL.
What has made Minshew a legend already in many people’s eyes is not just the amount of success he’s had or even the incredible mustache. Minshew’s fashion sense makes him look as though he was teleported straight out of the 1980’s. He was recently spotted watching a Washington State Cougars game from the sidelines in “jorts” and aviator. Because of the way he looks and dresses, he has drawn comparisons to Tom Selleck and even Uncle Rico from the cult classic film Napoleon Dynamite.
Since becoming the Jaguars starting QB, Gardner Minshew has thrown for 9 touchdowns and only 2 interceptions. He has backed up all the talk solidified that while he may be a big deal because of his off-field personality, he’s a force to be reckoned with on it as well.