Soldano trying to help Salem football take the next step

[Editor’s Note: This story also appears in the 2017 Football Prospectus. Get your copy today by going here.]

Members of the Salem High School football team have finished up an offseason workout and are marching through coach Rob Pike's office, picking up a T-shirt and a smaller version of the playbook as they go.

The last player in the office is probably the one player who doesn't need the second item, but Matt Soldano still asks if he can take one of the packets.

Someone says it's about time the senior quarterback learns the plays, and everyone - including Soldano - has a laugh. But before he leaves, Soldano makes it known his true intentions are to learn what everyone else is supposed to be doing on the field.

"He really understands the whole concept," Pike said. "Football is so complex and complicated and kids start off learning just their own thing. As time goes, they see how all the pieces fit and he’s getting pretty good at that.

"At the end of last year, he could change plays on the line. It’s not what we like against this, we like this. What plays compliment other plays and when to change them up, he’s getting good at that."

It's one of many factors that Pike and the Salem coaching staff saw when Soldano was a sophomore and won the starting quarterback job during the preseason.

"It was quick," Pike said. "(Soldano) came in his sophomore year to camp and there was competition among three guys. In the first week or so, he was clearly the best one. He could throw the ball, he could throw on the run, he was a great runner, he’s got good size. He had all those skills pretty early as a sophomore and he showed them to us."

After helping Salem reach the playoffs, but get knocked out in the quarterfinals, each of the last two seasons, Soldano is ready to help the Blue Devils take the next step, no matter what it takes.

"It’s our last year playing together," he said of the seniors. "We have to leave everything we have on the field. It helps because you don’t want that feeling again. It’s one of the worst feelings you could have. Knowing that you had a chance to win and move on and you don’t, it adds fuel to our fire."

For Soldano, that fire has been burning for a while, ever since he started playing football as a second grader. Back then, as one of the bigger kids on the team, he was an offensive lineman, and later moved to fullback and linebacker before making the switch to quarterback in seventh grade.

After bouncing around, being under center felt natural to Soldano, who also plays safety for Salem on defense.

"I love leading the team," he said. "It’s natural to me, being out there and doing whatever I can to make sure everything goes as planned."

At times over the last two season, that's required Soldano to hand the ball off to a number of running backs the Blue Devils have had in the backfield, or sometimes keeping it himself and getting some yards of his own.

But Pike believes that if the coaches asked more of Soldano in the passing game, he would be able to deliver.

"I do think he has the talent to do that," the coach said. "It’s a different focus. We don’t focus on teaching him all those different reads and coverages. As far as strict talent, he could put up a lot of numbers. Unfortunately for him, we’ve got a four-man backfield and they all get a lot of touches."

Soldano, who also plays basketball and baseball for Salem, hopes that as the season moves along, he'll have a better idea of what he might be able to do once high school is over. He's already received interest to play baseball in college, but he'd like to know if football is an option, or maybe even both sports.

"I love playing sports," he said. "I want to be out on a field or a court. I love competing against people no matter what it is. Even if it’s like taking a test, I want to do better."

Pike thinks that if Soldano decides football is the best option for him, there could be plenty of opportunities.

"As far as football, I think he could play quarterback (in college)," he said. "He has the skills. He’s a smart athlete. But he could also go play wide receiver. He’s got a lot of doors open right now and we’ll see where that goes when the season is over."