When Central Michigan football jogs onto the field on Saturdays, the focus often turns to the quarterback — the player expected to be the leader, the organizer, the face of the offense. But in Mount Pleasant this season, that spotlight isn’t shining on just one player.

Instead, it’s been shared among a trio: Joe Labas, Angel Flores and Jadyn Glasser. Each has had moments under center, each has brought a different skill set to the huddle, and together they’ve formed a bond that has been as important as any touchdown drive.

For Labas and Flores, that relationship has been a constant since day one. For Glasser, who suffered a season-ending injury, the connection still runs just as deep.

“It’s family in there,” Flores said. “It doesn’t feel like we’re competing against each other. It feels like we’re supporting each other, no matter who’s on the field.”

Building bonds across states

When Labas, a transfer from Iowa, and Flores, a transfer from Northern Arizona, first connected in the quarterback room, it wasn’t clear how the rotation would shake out. But before either started running plays together, they started trading stories.

“We’ve definitely talked about where we’re from,” Labas said with a laugh. “I’m obviously biased about the Midwest, and he’s biased about the West. So that’s been fun.”

Flores agreed, adding that sharing different perspectives made the transition to Mount Pleasant easier.

“It was really easy coming here because Joe had already been here," Flores said. "He’s a great guy, just being able to welcome me and the new transfers. That made it all smooth.”

Off the field, their friendship has turned meetings into more than just film study.

“For me, it’s definitely joking around in the quarterback room,” Labas said. “Not only Angel and I, but the rest of the guys, too. I think it's a great group of guys. Really funny guys, too. It just makes every day coming in a little bit easier.”

Flores smiled when talking about the quarterback room.

“Yeah, especially with Danny (Gomez). His high school mascot was a bull pup, so we call him ‘pup’ all the time. It’s those little things that make the quarterback room so fun,” he said.

Learning from each other

Every quarterback brings something different to the table. For Labas and Flores, the key has been recognizing those differences — and learning from them.

“From the jump, I saw (Flores) was detail-oriented,” Labas said. “His work ethic, I mean, everything about him, he checks every box. That really stuck out for me.”

Flores has leaned on Labas for his experience in the Midwest.

“We were talking about different high schools from Ohio,” Labas said. “In that area, Joe was teaching me that not too long ago, about different high schools and different places that produce really good athletes throughout that area. (I’m) not really familiar with the Midwest, being from the West Coast.”

Even bigger than geography, though, has been the way they’ve leaned on each other away from football. Flores, far from home for the first time, said the relationships have been grounding.

“These guys make it really easy on me,” Flores said. “When I come to the facility and practice, everything else goes away — school, family worries, whatever it is. I just get to focus on football, and it’s because of the people here.”

The absent player

There’s a name missing from the current rotation, and both Labas and Flores feel it. Before his injury, Glasser was right there with them, splitting snaps and competing for the job.

“(Jadyn’s) a dynamic quarterback,” Labas said. “He can throw the ball like crazy. He’s got a cannon for an arm, and he’s a big guy, too. You can put him in the run game, and he’ll get you those extra yards.”

Flores added that Glasser’s improv stood out.

“When stuff breaks down, he has a good sense of how to make stuff happen. He’s an unbelievable football player, but even more than that, he’s a great person.”

Though Glasser’s season was cut short, his presence hasn’t disappeared from the locker room. The quarterbacks still include him in conversations, still joke around with him, and still look to him for energy.

A home away from home

Both said that being away from family has been easier thanks to the brotherhood inside the quarterback room.

“Just checking in on each other is huge,” Labas said. “Especially for a guy like Angel who’s far from home. I'm not from the state, but I'm still kind of close. ... So it’s a little bit easier for me.”

For Flores, support has been as important as learning the playbook.

“Just being away from home for one of the first times,” Flores explained. “These guys make it really easy on me. Just when I come to the facility and to practice … all the worries or at school or whether it's like, I'm thinking of family problems or anything, everything goes away and I'm able to just to focus on football.”

That sense of family goes beyond the quarterbacks. Head coach Matt Drinkall and quarterbacks coach Jim Chapin have emphasized relationships, and players have bought in.

“The family aspect is definitely there,” Flores said. “And I want to say it's been there since probably the first week I've been here. It's just so easy, and I don't think I've ever felt that in a quarterback room. So, it's definitely brought us together.”

Looking forward

As the season moves on, the rotation is still being tested. Injuries happen. Situations change. But the foundation of trust among Labas, Flores and Glasser has made the challenges easier to handle.

“You just cheer each other on and have each other’s backs,” Labas said. “Guys are going to get injured; it is what it is. But always having a positive attitude helps.”

Flores said it’s about more than just football.

“I can go up to Joe, Jadyn, Ethan, Danny, Marcus, any of the guys, and just talk,” he said. “Just being able to like really just connect with these guys is great.”

For both of these quarterbacks, Mount Pleasant has begun to feel like home. Their ideas reflected the same themes that have defined their journey so far: people, relationships and family.

“For me, it’s the relationships I’ve built,” Labas said. “It feels a lot like where I grew up, which is pretty cool. When I first went to Iowa, that was way different. Then coming back here in the Midwest, it’s just home away from home.”

“For me, home is the people around you,” Flores said. “It's not necessarily the place you're at, but the support you get around here. … The staff, the players, they're like family to me. The coaches are just great people. I'm inspired to be like them. They're great mentors, and not only mentors, but great leaders. They inspire me to be a better me.

Spotlight: leaders on the field

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