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Todd Archer
Arlington, Texas – Luis Perez was like many young boys. His dream was supposed to be Quarterback NFL. He remembers sleeping with football when he was small.
However, one day he takes him to the NFL – even at the age of 30 – unlike others, and has little to do with the initial Quarterback for UFL Arlington Renegades or the Spring League, USFL, the alliance of American football and the original XFL.
This journey was so incredible that Perez wrote the “Spring King” autobiography, which was released last week. The name is a nickname nickname he got for his success in spring professional leagues.
“I just feel as if I do service for people, unless I share my story and everything I went through,” said Perez, whose renegads (1-0) play Houston Roughnecks (0-1) (noon, ESPN/ESPN+). “I still think it can positively affect many people and change lives.”
Renegades tight end Cinnamon He has been Perez’s teammate in the last three years. Although he knows Perez’s background, he still can’t understand it.
“It looks like it turns into a document Netflix or something at a time,” Cannella said. “It’s. It’s just one of those stories that almost feel like fiction, you know where you couldn’t believe it. But the fact that it’s real is just forcing you to respect it even more.”
Perez some played some Quarterback grew up in youth football, but was also a tight end and offensive Linman. Never played Varsity football at Otay Ranch High School in Chula Vista in California. Instead, he was a perfect pitch. He had 12 perfect games. Could go to college on a bowling scholarship.
When he watched his friends playing their last high school football match, his Quarterback Dream ruled.
“I knew I could always go back to bowling,” Perez said. “It’s like riding a bike. You can get miserable when you are 50, 60 years old.
He went on YouTube to learn how to play Quarterback. Yes, youtube.
“I don’t know the Quarterback coach, I don’t know how to get these people, so I’m glad,” Allow me to get on YouTube, “and I started watching basic basic instructions,” Perez said. “The only thing I knew was that I could throw a nice spiral and had a big arm.
For hours would watch the main points Aaron RodgersDrew Brees and Tom Brady. He bought a mirror full of length to make sure that its appearance is like theirs. He would practice five steps in his bedroom.
He did it for four or five months when he joined with Akili Smith, a former total selection No. 3 Cincinnati Bengals In 1999, which became a Quarterback coach.
“After that time with Akili, I was glad,” Hey, what am I doing from nowhere? I want to become a Quarterback NFL, tell me where to go, “Perez said.
Smith told him that About Southwestern College, Junior University in Chula Vista. Perez remembers that he goes to the coach of Ed Carberry and says he will be his starting Quarterback.
“Where did you play? Where is your tape?” He said Carberry asked him.
When Perez told him he wasn’t playing high school football, Carberry laughed.
“He said,” Practice is and so time. It’s a junior college, so I can’t reduce you, but you can come and try, “Perez said.” That started. “
When he showed up on the first practice, he was the ninth Quarterback in the deep chart.
“I’m the first one, the last one that leaves, and I don’t get any repetitions to try to learn games,” he said.
When players left school or chose other sports, he moved to No. 4 on the list. He won a backup place in the autumn camp. In the fourth game of the season, the starter Frank Foster suffered an injury to the shoulder and forced Perez into the game. In the southwestern victory he threw a touch pass.
In the perfect script, it would be a starter for good.
“Oh, no, no, no. There’s more,” Perez said.
Of course.
He suffered a broken leg later and missed the rest of the season. Until the summer camp could not return to the field. Until then, Tofi Paopao, a star on Oceanside High School before visiting Florida International, converted to Southwestern and would be a starter. Paropao injured himself and took Perez as a starter. He ended the season with 18 touch passages and three wiretaps and divided the time with Paopao.
However, when the season ended until the UC-Davis offer, there were no scholarship offers. But it was pulled out after they told him he had no transmissible mathematical class from the southwest.
Devast, Perez took again to the Internet. He checked for Quarterbacks Division II to NFL. He found the name Dustin Vaughan, who played at West Texas A&M and spent time with Cowboys. Colby Carthel was an assistant at West Texas A&M and took a job at Texas A&M Commerce, so Carthel called.
The coaches went to California to see Perez to work and offered him a scholarship. The first year redshiroval and became a starter for two seasons. In 2016 he set a school record for touch cards (32) and took the store to the play -off division II, where they lost in the Grand Valley in the semifinals.
In their last season, Lions won the National Championship. He threw 5,001 yards and had 46 touch passages. He won the winner of the trophy Harlon Hill, the equivalent of Division II Heisman Trophy.
He played in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and won the initial work over Michigan John O’Korn and Tcu’s Kenny Hill, but he didn’t have an invitation to a combined NFL. He threw on Texas A & M’s for Day with Johnny Manziel because the former winner Heisman Trophy was trying to return.
“I have to throw against choosing the first round and they can see what I have,” Perez said. “That put me on the map.”
But he wouldn’t be developed. Two weeks later he had no invitation to the camp of newcomers when Los Angeles Rams called. Quarterback retreated from his camp.
“I’m going to throw and kill it,” Perez said. “I probably had one of the best days of throwing I had. And I remember that the forest Snead, GM, brings me and tells me,” You really impressed me. We’ll sign you. “And that was my opportunity. ”
Five years after the start of YouTube, Perez was a Quarterback NFL – about four months. At the end of the training camp he was cut by Rams. Two weeks after the season he was released from the training team.
Since then, Perez has had short stops with other teams: Philadelphia Eagles for three weeks in spring 2019 and four days with Detroit Lions Later that summer. In 2022 he had another run with RAMS, which ended during the training camp.
Last summer, after led UFL in passing yards and landing, he was signed Los Angeles Chargers. Played the second half of the second game PSEEASON, but was among their last cuts after Chargers traded Taylor Heinicke.
“I think you’re so close, but you’re trying to dwell for adversity,” Perez said. “Five or six years ago I would be destroyed. This is my team of hometown. Now? Is it like,” Okay, I haven’t done what I will do to be better to do that next time? “That’s just my thinking. ”
Spring football has He kept his dream NFL alive.
Can recite your CV year by year.
Birmingham in AAF in 2019. Los Angeles Wildcats in the original XFL and traded with New York Guardians before the League closed for Covid in 2020. Spring League in 2021 and won the mega bowl with Justers.
In 2022 he played for generals USFL New Jersey. The following year he returned to XFL with Vigas Vipers before being traded with Renegades.
He led Renegades to XFL Championship.
“We weren’t a real cohesive team and we were struggling before we made him four games, and he really encouraged our football team,” said Arlington offensive coordinator Chuck Long. “He brought them all together, got everyone to the same page and brought a lot of positive energy and took us to the championship.”
Long was in 1985 as Quarterback Iowa in 1985 in 1985. It was the first round of Detroit Lions. He trained Josha White on Heisman Trophy and Josh Heupel at the National Championship in Oklahoma. Over the last three seasons, he met coach Bob Stoops in Arlington.
“It’s the most unique story about the Quarterback I have ever heard,” Long said about Perez’s journey. “And I have heard many of them. … there is a really strong will and he just wanted to learn a football game.”
Cannella has a similar professional way to Perez. When they played against each other in the spring league, he learned about him. Among the short runs with a handful of NFL teams, Cannell also played in XFL, USFL and UFL.
Last year, UFL led the tight ends of the catches (53), Yards (497) and landing (six) with Perez like its Quarterback. Has brought him a contract with Tampa Bay BuccaneersWhere last summer was among their last cuts.
“It’s probably the smartest quarterback I have ever played with,” Cannella said. “Just as he is preparing, he is with him every day when he sees how he analyzes the game, his daily work ethics, reading defense, why he chooses this page of the concept (routes) to the other, it is really impressive.”
Perez turns 31 years old in August. He and his wife, Brenda, have two children. He knows that people think the chances are against him, but they won’t stop.
“Every year I ask,” Do I enjoy getting up at 4 am in the morning? Do I enjoy practicing, training? Yes. I still play at a high level? Yes. Am I injured? No, “Perez said. “So I’m good. So I’m just going to play. My goal is to go to NFL. I’m not doing it just for fun. It’s obvious it’s fun for me, but my goal is to go to NFL and secure my family a better life.
