QB Starters for Game One Named ...

[Cane from the Bend]

True Frosh Kaaya Named Miami QB --- a pro style QB out of California who had a little recognition by early off season recruiting. Miami offered to him early, and he gave his verbal. When his numbers and accuracy, along with his quick learning of a system became known [as well his performance in the elite 11 competition], other teams, such as USC - UCLA - Boise State, had all shown great interest.

Questions of sincerity came up when Kayaa announced he would take official visits to USC & Boise State.

Kaaya said: "I enjoyed my time there, and they treated me really well. The Boise staff especially made me feel comfortable and showed me a lot of respect." "I told them upfront that I was committed to Miami, and that I has no intention of changing my mind." "Miami was the only school who had even shown any interest in me until late. In the end I felt like the Miami coaches really understood what I wanted in a school, and made me feel like they were the best fit for me."

With a late push by Jake heaps, Miami had left the position open, saying Heaps is still very much in contention for the starting job.

Today, that changed, and Brad Kaaya was named as the man under center.

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Gardner Named Starting Quarterback in Opener Versus Miami.

Aug. 24, 2014

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - - University of Louisville head football coach Bobby Petrino announced that quarterback Will Gardner has been named the starting quarterback when the Cardinals open the 2014 season and ACC play against Miami on September 1.

Bobby Petrino: "I thought Will and outstanding fall camp. He demonstrated good decision-making and executed our offense."

Gardner, a native of Douglas, Ga., replaces first-round draft pick Teddy Bridgewater. Last season, he played in six games as a back-up to Bridgewater. He made his collegiate debut in a 49-7 season-opening win last year versus Ohio, throwing for 61 yards and a 30-yard touchdown to Kai DeLa Cruz. He was a perfect 5-for-5 for 42 yards in a 72-0 win over FIU.

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I know Petrino was trying to be coy with those outside the program in the off-season; but this late naming of his starting QB comes off as a little facetious.

We all knew who the starter was going to be. So, pretending to settle on a guy, yesterday, is a bit silly.

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Anyway, we know who will be in the drivers seat of these too potentially high powered offenses.

Let's hope for a great game.

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[Cane from the Bend]

Inside sources in Madison say: Tanner McEvoy as UW starter at QB, for the season opener.

Here is another two man race that is, as of yet, officially undecided.

Other than saying quarterbacks Tanner McEvoy and Joel Stave both deserve to play this season, Wisconsin football coach Gary Andersen has been evasive about who will start the opener in Houston, Aug. 3oth against LSU.

Evidently, from three sources close to the program, the staff has decided to start McEvoy, a redshirt junior who transferred to UW last season from Arizona Western College.

Gary Andersen: "Both those kids are still right there. Like I said a long time ago, we may know who the starter is, but we're not going to say who the starter is until we jog out on the field for the LSU game. There's no big announcement."

McEvoy worked at quarterback last summer but struggled and was eventually moved to safety. He played 10 games at safety, with three starts, and impressed the defensive coaches --- He returned to quarterback in the spring and closed the spring with the No. 1 offense after Stave was sidelined because of pain in his right shoulder, which he injured in the Capital One Bowl.

McEvoy passed for 1,943 yards and 25 touchdowns and rushed for 414 yards and six touchdowns in his lone season as the starter at Arizona Western --- Before the season at Arizona Western, he redshirted in 2011 at South Carolina.

Joel Stave, a graduate of Whitnall High School, started all 13 games last season and has 19 starts overall. He passed for 2,494 yards and 22 touchdowns but also had 13 interceptions --- Unlike McEvoy, Stave is not a threat to run. He rushed 37 times for minus-22 yards last season and suffered the shoulder injury in the bowl game when he failed to slide at the end of a short run.

Not all practices in camp have been open to reporters, but Stave performed better than McEvoy in Week 1 --- McEvoy rallied in Week 2, however.

Joel Stave: "Obviously, Tanner is a good player. He wouldn't be in this position if he wasn't."

Tanner McEvoy: "What summer is for is to get stronger and faster. I think I accomplished that, as well as getting reps with all the receivers. I feel OK. There's definitely a lot more room for improvement. Spring is spring. It is what it is." "Fall camp is when it really counts. I've got to pick it up and do better than what I was doing in the spring. My only goal is to try to take that No. 1 spot and take it from there."

Andersen has made it clear he covets a quarterback who can make plays in a variety of ways --- His starting quarterback at Utah State, Chuckie Keeton, was an outstanding dual-threat performer.

[explaining quality quarterback play to fans who attended the second scrimmage]

Gary Andersen: "A lot goes into that. Pre-snap awareness, the ability to check the run (and) the ability to make plays with his arm, with his mind and with his legs. We missed too many layups last year. When it is there and it's given to you on a platter, you've got to take advantage of it --- If you don't, it will cost you. It will cost you big."

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[Eric]

I have heard about McEvoy starting over Stave. I think it's the right move.

[Cane from the Bend]

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AUBURN, Ala. --
Malzahn had made it clear on the first day of fall camp that Marshall, who started 12 games last year, wouldn't start the opener because of a marijuana citation he received this offseason. The second-year coach, however, waited until game week to officially name Johnson the starter against the Razorbacks.

Tigers coach Gus Malzahn said Tuesday that Nick Marshall will definitely play ... How much? He won't say just yet.

Jeremy Johnson will be the starting quarterback when No. 6 Auburn opens the season against Arkansas on Saturday.

As a true freshman, Johnson started against Western Carolina and played extensively against Florida Atlantic. He finished the year with 422 yards and six touchdowns. This will be his first SEC start.

Marshall was still listed as the No. 1 quarterback on Auburn's depth chart, which was released Tuesday, and he has handled himself well since the incident, according to his head coach.

Gus Malzahn: He's had a very good fall camp, not only on the field but as a leader. He's ready to go when called upon."

Nick Marshall: "I see Jeremy coming out there and practicing good every day. He's leading the team just like he's going to be the starter, and I'm behind him 100 percent."

Gus Malzahn: "We have a plan, and they know the plan. We have a lot of confidence in him [Jeremy] to run our entire offense, and like I said before, he's very talented. The two games he played last year, he was the freshman SEC offensive player of the week."

The coaches might have a plan for Saturday, but they are not telling anybody, not even the players.

Running Back, Cameron Artis-Payne: "I have no idea what the plan is. They [coaches] know it. I don't know it."

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