Aggie quarterbacks fighting for starting spot
There is a wide-open competition for the starting quarterback job under way in the Aggie football team’s spring practice.
Offensive coordinator and quarterback coach Darrell Dickey said he is in no rush to declare a winner, and the team will possibly go into two-a-days with a competitive race at the position.
“I don’t think there’s any question that your competitiveness, your attentiveness, those type of things. When there’s competition and you know that there’s someone behind you who can take your place in one play, I think it definitely keeps your attention and it’s good,” Dickey said after practice on Monday.
Leon Jackson III, Mike Affleck, Jace McCormick and junior college transfer Sean Setzer are the principal players fighting to lead the Aggie offense onto the Romney Stadium field on Aug. 30 when USU opens the 2007 season against University of Nevada Las Vegas.
Dickey has been evaluating their strengths and weaknesses as he runs them through drills with the running backs and wide receivers.
“To be quite honest, they’re all capable of doing the things that I hope our quarterbacks can do,” Dickey said. “I’ve been in situations where we had a quarterback who maybe couldn’t do this part or that part but he was still our best guy.”
On Monday the quarterbacks faced severe pressure from the defense in 11-on-11 drills. The defensive players were in high spirits as the blitz package freed up rushers to hit the passer repeatedly.
“Our quarterbacks have each been put in a situation where they’re getting an all-out blitz against them or they’re getting zoned and have to run the ball some and manage the game,” Dickey said. “We’re putting them in tough situations to find out what they’re capable of.”
Jackson is the most experienced quarterback in camp, and Setzer said he has been using the left-handed senior as a resource as he tries to catch up and learn a brand-new offense.
“We are all competing. We all want that job really bad,” Setzer said. “There’s no problems between any of us – we’re actually all cool friends. If there’s a question about anything, I can go ask Leon what happened. We’ll tell each other. We’re not trying to be stingy about the job, we’re just trying to let the best man win.”
Jackson, who threw for 694 yards and three touchdowns while splitting time with Riley Nelson – now serving an LDS mission – last year said, “It’s my fourth system now. I’m learning that it’s all the same stuff but just different names to it. We’ve been keeping it generic, but I feel comfortable with what’s going on. Lord willing, everything will work out. I’m just going to go out there and the coaches will decide whatever they want.”
Both Dickey and Jackson said each Aggie QB brings different qualities to the job.
“They’re all good players. I enjoy their company as friends,” Jackson said. “Affleck, he throws a beautiful ball and has great mechanics. Setzer is a big strong kid. Jace hasn’t had a chance to prove himself yet, but he went out there and made plays today. Everybody has their own skill to bring to the table.”
Jackson, who rushed for 328 yards two years ago as a sophomore when he started the majority of the schedule at quarterback, and Setzer are probably the best running with the ball.
Setzer said he brings a physical style to the table when he carries the pigskin.
“Last year I didn’t run the ball as much at my junior college, but they want us to do it more here. I really like it,” Setzer said. “I’m always for lowering my head and trying to get an extra couple of yards. I’m not afraid to take a hit.”
Affleck and McCormick are representing the state of Utah in the competition. Affleck quarterbacked Timpview High before taking a circuitous route to USU, playing at Arizona State and Dixie State JC before arriving in Cache Valley last year.
McCormick was quarterback of an explosive Northridge Knights team that won the Utah 5A championship in 2000 and 2001. He was named all-state in 2000 and 2001, won the 5A Most Valuable Player award in 2001, and is now a redshirt sophomore after serving a two-year LDS mission.
Jackson said he is not competing “by looking over my shoulder. I compete by competing with myself. You can’t win a job sitting around looking at what other guys did and saying, ‘I’ve got to go out and do better.’ No. You go out there and do your best every time. You give 100 percent every time. That’s the way I’ve been groomed and the way I was born and the way I am, so that’s who I’m going to be.”
After spring practice, the assistant coaches will evaluate every position for Head Coach Brent Guy.
Dickey said he will sit down with his offensive staff and go through the personnel at every position to determine what each player’s strengths and weaknesses are. However, Dickey said, “I don’t know that we’ll come out of spring and say, ‘This is the guy that’s going to start all 12 games.'”
-graham@cc.usu.edu