SEC baseball commit has Durango football eyeing title as starting QB

Durango football coach Robert Cutts tried to get baseball star Alexander Mercurius to play football before the 2023 season. But the timing wasn't right for Mercurius, a highly-touted baseball recruit, given his schedule.

Mercurius became interested in football again before his senior season. He and Cutts met, and Mercurius made it clear he wanted to commit to the team. He wanted to play with his friends one more time this fall.

"I always wanted to come back to football because freshman year I played football and it was really fun," Mercurius said. "Being a senior this year, it was very important for me to live out being a senior. It was my decision ... and coming back was a great decision."

Mercurius became the Trailblazers' starting quarterback after an injury to Maddex Peterson two games into the season. Durango won 8-0 in Mercurius' first against Sierra Vista on Aug. 30 to snap an 11-game losing streak.

The team hasn't looked back since.

The Trailblazers (6-2, 3-0 5A Division III Southern League) will carry a six-game winning streak into a first-place showdown at Las Vegas High (6-2, 3-0) at 6 p.m. Friday. A win would put Durango in prime position for the No. 1 seed in the Southern League playoffs.

"I told (Mercurius) things are going to go right, things are going to go wrong, but you just need to stay balanced and keep fighting," Cutts said. "That's all he's been doing. He's getting more and more comfortable every game, which is scary for our opponents. He's finally starting to get into his stride here right when it counts and I'm really excited to see what he does."

'Not just a baseball player'

Cutts said Mercurius accepted he would start as a backup and was willing to help the team however he could.

Then Peterson broke his thumb in a loss to Northview (California) on Aug. 23. Cutts' phone started blowing up the next day when he was at Durango doing laundry. Mercurius had gathered the receivers together and asked if he could throw to them.

"The energy he brings, he leads us and has brought us to more wins," senior offensive lineman Kainoa Mefy said. "He's always locked in.

Cutts wrote a letter to Mercurius before the Sierra Vista game. He told the quarterback he trusted him to lead the team and told him to be himself. Mercurius said he was nervous, but Durango gutted out its first win since Aug. 25, 2023.

"My guys trust in me and I know everyone who believes in me will see that I can actually play, and I'm not just a baseball player that just came to football for a side quest," Mercurius said.

Mercurius and wide receiver/linebacker Reilley Stringer have been friends since second grade. They played together on Durango's freshmen football team before Mercurius focused on baseball.

"It's super cool," Stringer said. "Freshman year, he was a dog at quarterback. He came up and stepped up to play with us and showcase his talents not only in baseball but football too."

Mercurius remains a standout talent on the diamond as well.

He was the 4A pitcher of the year last season and led Durango to a state title with an 8-2 record and 1.84 ERA. The All-Southern Nevada first-team selection also hit .474 with 32 RBIs. He committed to Oklahoma this summer.

"If I really wanted to be at the next level, I need to go to a bigger and better place," Mercurius said. "Oklahoma was that place."

'Got something going'

Durango's strong start has been a team effort.

Mercurius has thrown for 506 yards and six touchdowns in six games, but the Trailblazers' defense has scored eight times off turnovers. Durango's special teams have also come up with key plays to win games.

"We really got something going," Mercurius said. "We figured out that we're all in and no one wants to be in the way anymore because we're going to win and keep winning. Our ultimate goal is the state championship. I feel like everyone is locked in."

Cutts describes his team as "gritty." He said Durango has learned how to handle success and credited Mercurius for leading the way.

"He's an athlete. He's a competitor. He wants to win," Cutts said. "I was very happy when he showed up in our locker room. I can't say enough about him. It makes me feel really good that he trusts me enough to risk baseball to come out and play for me, and believe in what I believe in and fight for that."