He can throw … he can run … and he’s going to be a quarterback under Washington State University Head Coach Mike Leach? Yes, even the pirate has adapted to the changing tides in college football, when it comes to the quarterback position at least.

Leach landed his first public verbal commitment for the class of 2016 Saturday when Oak Ridge (California) quarterback Ian Book made the call. The 6-1, 190 pound signal-caller is your typical Leach quarterback in some ways, but not all.

In two years at Oak Ridge, Book has thrown 48 touchdowns to only 12 interceptions and compiled 4,583 yards passing. From that perspective, Book is the ideal quarterback for Leach. However, college defensive coordinators will have a cake-walk on a quarterback who isn’t mobile in this day and age.

“Always room for improvement but one of the best parts of my game is keeping the play alive and keeping my head at the same time,” Book said.

However, let’s not get too far away from the fact that Leach still has that eye-patch on. He’s sticking with the Air Raid offense, and barring a miracle, or a five-star running back, that won’t change. Honestly, it doesn’t have to either.

Leach’s offense won’t be featuring a Johnny Manziel-esq style quarterback, ever. Redshirt sophomore Luke Falk and redshirt freshman Peyton Bender aren’t Manziel or anything close to him, and neither is Book. But what Leach has realized is his offense needs a minor tweak to keep up with the times in college football.

If he’s going to have his quarterback throw it 50-60 times per game, they have to be able to elude defenders and be able to make something of it. Book, rated a three-star prospect and pro-style quarterback by every recruiting service, acknowledged he is a pass-first QB who can see an opening and take off.

“I am definitely a pass first [quarterback],” he said. “But if it’s open I’m going [laughs]. I’m definitely comfortable throwing on the run as well.”

It’s not an overhaul. It’s certainly not waving the white flag. But Mike Leach has made the right decision to find his next quarterback who can pass and run with efficiency. However, Book still has a fair amount of time before he will be breaking the ankles of Pac-12 defenders and the hearts of fans across the conference, throwing touchdown after touchdown.