UCLA Football fans needn’t worry about the prospect of seeing their second-string QB line up under center. Devon Modster has all the tools to succeed if his number is ever called.
Josh Rosen is back and raring to go in the hopes of bringing the Bruins to the College Football Playoffs. UCLA Football was projected to make it to the promise land last season, before Rosen injured his shoulder against Arizona State, ending his season.
This isn’t to detract from the job that Mike Fafaul did when handed the reigns to the team. His 12 touchdowns and 1,602 passing yards were more than what was expected of the former walk-on.
With Fafaul no longer in the fold, where will the Bruins turn if, knock on the hardwood of Pauley Pavilion, Rosen is lost for a significant amount of time again.
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Enter Devon Modster, a 6’2″, 220 pound redshirt freshman out Tesoro High School. The backup battle between Modster and Matt Lynch has been hard fought, but Jim Mora made it known at the PAC-12 Media Day, who the backup would be.
Jim Mora said coming out of spring camp and heading into fall camp, Devon Modster is Josh Rosen's current backup at QB.
— Edward Lewis (@Edward__Lewis) July 26, 2017
Those unacquainted with the young second string gun-slinger shouldn’t fret if he must step on the field. Modster is a pass-first quarterback with a cannon for an arm. His deep throws have excellent precision, and come out effortlessly. He’ll have a field day throwing long bombs to the likes of Jordan Lasley and Theo Howard.
Modster’s intermediate throws are where he can improve. His velocity is inconsistent, allowing defenders to get to the receiver and stop the play where the ball is caught. Modster’s ball placement can use work as well, but these flaws can be perfected as he learns from Rosen.
A dimension Modster adds to the offense is his running ability. He won’t blow by would-be tacklers, but is shifty in the backfield and can make defenders miss. When he takes off, his strength makes him tough to take down.
Modster makes things tougher on defense by being able to pass incredibly well while running. He can fling his dangerous deep throws while in motion, meaning defensive backs must remain in tight coverage.
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All in all, the idea of losing Rosen for a long stretch of time is enough to make a UCLA fan’s heart sink. However, Modster is a backup quarterback that can go out and win games if needed. It’s comforting to know the season isn’t sunk when the second string is forced to step up.