Central's Mike Reilly may be state's best college quarterback

Another record fell early. Mike Reilly is breaking records in his senior season at Central Washington like Michael Phelps at an all-comers meet.

In the final seconds of the first quarter in Central Washington's annual Battle in Seattle against Western Washington, Reilly flung a 10-yard touchdown pass to Sam Togar slanting from right to left.

It was Reilly's 100th touchdown pass at Central, passing Jon Kitna for the most in school history.

It also was the 41st game in a row he had thrown for a touchdown, setting an NCAA record, in all classifications, for consecutive games with a touchdown pass.

For a little perspective, BYU's Ty Detmer is fourth on the all-time list with 35 consecutive games. Steve McNair threw for a touchdown in 36 straight games at Alcorn State.

We came to Qwest Field on Saturday night to see what all the fuss was about. The state's best college quarterback, or at least its most NFL-ready quarterback, was pitching passes in his only appearance of the season in Seattle.

And on the grandest stage of his college career, with most of the 12,258 fans focused on him, Reilly put on a show. He threw for 371 yards and four touchdowns and ran for 58 yards in a highly entertaining 50-28 victory.

Mike Reilly is for real. He can float passes soft as snow over linebackers, laser passes to receivers crossing over the middle and hit them in stride 50 yards downfield. He is raw, but he has a future past this final season at Central.

He is a prototype pro. At 6 feet 3, 212 pounds, he has the size, the arm strength and the savvy. He's a Division I starting quarterback who just happens to be playing for a Division II school.

"Ah, man, every day it's a treat to play with him," junior receiver Johnny Spevak said. "He does things you never see quarterbacks do, especially at this level. He makes the game more fun for me every single time I play with him."

Fourteen seconds after his first touchdown pass, Reilly threw another. Central recovered Anthony Zachary's fumbled kick return, and one play later Reilly passed to Jamal Weems, who was 10 yards in the open, streaking down the right side. The 30-yard pass gave Central a 16-0 lead.

When coach Blaine Bennett took over at Central this season, he promised a pass-happy offense. Bennett and Reilly are the perfect marriage of system and quarterback. They are Dan Fouts and Don Coryell. Joe Montana and Bill Walsh.

"It's so great to play with him. He's one of the most accurate passers I've ever seen," freshman receiver Weems said. "He's real agile, elusive, so even if it's hard for us to get off a [defensive back's] jam, the play's never dead because he can always get outside the pocket and find one of his receivers."

Central's offense is fast. With three-, four- and five-receiver sets, it looks like basketball on turf, all tempo, tempo, tempo.

On the Wildcats' first touchdown drive — a 13-play, 95-yard gem — Reilly was as steady as a heartbeat. He threw 12 yards to his favorite target, Spevak. Fifteen yards to Mike Waller, 20 more to Spevak and 10 to Togar.

Tempo, tempo, tempo.

Like a good point guard in the eye of a fast-break offense, he spread the ball around, all the while facing heavy heat from Western's blitzkrieg defense.

In the fourth quarter, Reilly threw an interception, which is big news in Ellensburg. It was his first pick in 185 throws, another of his many school records.

Reilly, who played at Kamiakin High School in Kennewick until his senior season, walked on at Washington State in 2004. But, after looking impressive in spring practice, he wasn't offered a scholarship.

Instead of biding his time behind Josh Swogger and Alex Brink, Reilly transferred to Central.

Despite the fact Reilly has had three coaches in the last three years, it was the right decision. He has gotten a chance to play. And even though he is playing in the middle of the state on the far left side of the country, he has gotten noticed.

"With his work ethic, the time he puts in the film room and the way he wants to be the best quarterback he can be, there's no doubt in my mind he's going to be at the next level," said Spevak, who caught 13 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns. "I'll be able to watch him on TV and look back at the great memories I had playing with him."

Reilly will get his January and February NFL auditions and could be drafted in April.

In the meantime, he'll continue doing what he's been doing for the last four years in Ellensburg, filling the air with footballs, picking off records and demanding, with his play, that people pay attention.

Steve Kelley: 206-464-2176 or skelley@seattletimes.com