John David Black sat on the bench in ACU’s season opener versus Lamar, uncertain of what the following moments, let alone the rest of the season, would look like. He came into fall camp in a small-margin battle between multiple quarterbacks for Abilene Christian’s starting role. Redshirt sophomore Tucker Parks, transfer out of Western Kentucky, ultimately won the starting role.

Head coach Keith Patterson described the decision to go with Parks as a simple matter-of-fact decision. Parks had a better fall camp. The connotation of that statement implies that, with respect to talent, these two quarterbacks sit squarely together on the depth chart.

“JDB” sat and watched his teammate struggle in the first half before Parks threw interceptions on back-to-back drives, inadvertently ending his day at the helm. Black warmed up and ran in with the starters on the ensuing drive. The new face was a welcome sign for the Wildcat faithful who were already sweating out the 7-0 deficit they faced out of the gate.

JDB delivered, driving down the field methodically, before tossing an 8-yard touchdown pass to Romelo Boykin for ACU’s first touchdown of the year. The performance gave him the opportunity to stay the quarterback for the remainder of the game, and even though he only scored one more touchdown and the Wildcats fell short in game one, a statement was made.

The next matchup was a faceoff with Big 12 powerhouse Texas Tech that came in nationally ranked in the top 15 of almost all polls.

Tech is infamous for its front line and the defensive size that it has. Whoever would be the quarterback for the Wildcats would have their hands full. It wasn’t announced until right before kickoff that John David Black would be taking the first snaps for the ACU offense, but there was no promise that he would stay out there for the entire game.

The magnifying glass was on him the entire time, even with the overwhelming defensive prowess that Texas Tech brought at him every snap. He did end up spending the entire game at QB1, and even though the offense didn’t score any touchdowns, he made a strong statement once again.

Early in the first quarter, he showed off his arm on multiple occasions. This was a theme throughout. JDB would make difficult throws that would at least give his wide receiver a chance. Most of the time, the tight coverage of the TTU defensive backs prevented many receptions, but his throws were confident nonetheless.

The moment that really set him apart, though, came on the second drive for ACU when he scrambled for 17 yards on third and 10. His speed and agility to get around the Texas Tech defenders would make offensive coordinators across the country jealous and was the play that should ultimately give JDB the starting position at quarterback for the foreseeable future.

After the loss, Patterson made clear he was proud of how Black handled the moment and how he embraced being put into the game the week before, before maximizing the opportunity into a starting role.

“He probably wasn’t expecting to go into the game, and all of a sudden, there he is,” Patterson said. “So, I’m very proud of him.”

He also pointed to composure as the next step in Black’s development.

“I just say, ‘JDB, if you’ll just stay poised, hopefully we can eliminate some of that stuff that you’ve seen here earlier this season,’” Patterson said.

That message tied into a broader philosophy Patterson has preached to the whole team.

“We don’t chase results, we chase the process,” Patterson said. “It’s about showing up tomorrow, looking at the video, being honest with yourself, and saying, ‘I could have done that better,’ or ‘I wish I’d made that play.’ We challenge them to be accountable for their performance.”

ACU will not be able to catch an ‘easy’ break against #9 Stephen F. Austin, but finally at home, it will be a good test for Abilene Christian and, more specifically, the offense with JDB at the helm.