Tommy Friberg, Brady Dorner form dynamic duo at QB for State College football

State College’s Tommy Friberg and Brady Dorner high-fived and patted each other on the back moments before the season opener against J.P. McCaskey.

Friberg started at quarterback and led the offense in the first quarter, but Dorner soon made his mark early in the second quarter with a rushing touchdown. That night offered the first glimpse of the Little Lions quarterback duo and showed there’s not much difference between starter and backup.

“Tommy’s our starter, but he’s 1A and Brady’s 1B,” Little Lions coach Matt Lintal said. “Those guys every day are out here at practice, are repping with the first team, and that’s how we look at ’em.”

Both signal-callers have played an integral role in their team’s fast 3-0 start. Friberg and Dorner rank third and fourth on the team in rushing, respectively, while averaging 9.3 yards per carry apiece.

Friberg leads the county with five touchdown passes and a 62.5 completion percentage to go with a 100-yard rushing performance, and Dorner has three rushing touchdowns.

“It’s amazing working with Tommy,” Dorner said after practice this week. “I want him to do the best he can do. He wants me to do the best I can do.”

The two share the same competitive fire — but not the same physique. Friberg is a 6-foot-5, 195-pound junior who is also a standout on the basketball court, while Dorner is a 5-foot-11, 170-pound sophomore who excels on the lacrosse field in the spring.

Both quarterbacks are in their first season seeing significant time at the position at the varsity level — Dorner played quarterback sparingly last season in a reserve role and Friberg spent his time on the defensive side of the ball at linebacker.

“I like being a leader and being able to lead the team and take control,” Friberg said of playing quarterback.

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During the summer, Friberg’s passes sailed over his receivers’ heads — a result of overstepping — but he reworked his mechanics before the season.

He adjusted from throwing without the laces to gripping the football with the laces. He took the right number of steps. He stopped overthrowing his intended targets.

“He’s able to put the proper spiral on it,” State College quarterbacks coach Cory Raupers said. “Without much effort, he’s able to put the ball 40, 50 yards downfield.”

Raupers said Friberg has grown “by leaps and bounds” after playing linebacker last season. The quarterbacks coach said Friberg took some snaps in a few games for the JV team in 2016 before he broke his thumb. Friberg played with a cast for part of the season and led the defense at linebacker against Erie McDowell in a PIAA subregional game. This season, Friberg took over at quarterback for the Little Lions.

Friberg and Dorner gained an understanding of receivers’ routes and their reads within the offense during the summer. Now, it’s Friberg commanding the huddle at the start of each game.

“You have to know where everyone’s supposed to be and what everyone’s supposed to do and make sure everyone’s ready,” Friberg said.

He looked comfortable in the team’s opener against J.P. McCaskey, but he also had to overcome an early mistake.

“His first touchdown was a pick-6,” Raupers said. “I said, ‘Congrats on your first touchdown,’ but I said, ‘Let’s get out and throw one to our team.’ He sort of smiled about it, and he was able to shake it off.”

That calmness has come to define Friberg early on. Despite that pick, he finished that game 6 for 7 for 79 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. The next week, against Hollidaysburg, he showed off his athleticism with 127 yards rushing on 12 carries.

Lintal saw the anticipation skills of a basketball player in his quarterback that night, using his vision to break off big runs. And with his size, Lintal said, he’s tough to bring down.

“Tommy’s athleticism is fantastic,” the head coach said.

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The Little Lions run a special empty-backfield package called “Racehorse” with Dorner at quarterback.

Naturally, the sophomore looks forward to those situations.

“I get excited,” Dorner said. “Got to lead the boys out there, got to put the team on my back a little bit. It’s pretty fun.”

Raupers said the sophomore offers a “changeup or curveball” for opposing defenses when he enters the game. He’s been a dangerous rushing threat, picking up 54 yards and one touchdown on eight carries against McCaskey and piling up 65 yards and two touchdowns on two carries in a blowout win over Mifflin County.

Dorner likes to model his game after his favorite quarterback, Penn State’s Trace McSorley, who can burn teams with his legs and arm. Dorner studies the quarterbacks’ footwork, how they throw and run, and how they make their reads when he attends Nittany Lions’ games.

That’s shown time and time again on Friday nights — on plays like his 60-yard touchdown burst down the sideline against Mifflin County.

“He’s lightning fast,” Friberg said.

Added Lintal: “He goes from zero to top speed in a hurry.”

Lintal said Dorner isn’t just a running quarterback — “he’s a tremendous passer as well,” the coach said — but the Little Lions haven’t needed to showcase his arm yet. As a result, Dorner has attempted seven passes in three games.

“He’s not just a Wildcat quarterback that runs the ball,” Lintal said. “When he’s been in there, we’ve probably been a little bit more run heavy, and not necessarily even by design, but just because it was working, so we stuck with it.”

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Three months after his quarterbacks struggled to complete passes in 7-on-7 sessions against other teams, Raupers described a “night and day” difference in their performance.

“We’re throwing 7-on-7 against our starting defense, and we’re picking ’em apart,” Raupers said. “Both of ’em, Tommy and Brady. There’s certain passes that we have, where the ball’s got to be out on time — and most of the time, it’s out. The correct reads are made.”

Lintal has seen their growth since June, too, adding that they’ve improved their footwork and timing with their talented wide receivers. And when Friberg and Dorner make mistakes, Raupers said, they’re willing learners. They’ve also developed into leaders who encourage and support each other.

“We love both of those kids,” Lintal said. “They’re great team players, team-oriented guys that whenever their number’s called, they’re ready to go, and I’m so proud of who they are when they’re on the field, on the sideline, in the hallways. They’re kids that are doing the right things.”

This story was originally published September 20, 2017 at 6:59 PM with the headline "Tommy Friberg, Brady Dorner form dynamic duo at QB for State College football."