Pass it on

Sporting News, The, May 5, 1997 by Michael Bradley

Like most coaches, Arizona State's Bruce Snyder would prefer spring practice be a time when reserves rise up to challenge starters at every position in a month-long frenzy that builds depth and strength from uncertainty and desperation. If no one's job is safe, then everyone must improve. No wonder coaches love spring so much. And no wonder so many players try to find reasons to avoid the process.

When it comes to quarterback, however, Snyder and his peers would prefer to welcome back a three-year starter each spring. Letting offensive linemen slug it out for the right to work is great. Pitting two or three passers against each other just fosters doubt.

"I love to watch guys compete," Snyder says. "But at quarterback, I'd like to be able to say, `That's my man. Now the rest of you go fight for your jobs.'"

Snyder didn't have that luxury this spring. The graduation of four-year starter Jake Plummer left him with as many as five candidates for the quarterback job, none of whom distinguished himself enough during the recent 15 days of practice to be deemed first-string. And so, Snyder will bring them all to Camp Tontozona in Arizona's Tonto National Forest this summer for training camp to find his man.

Arizona State is not the only 1996 top-10 finisher replacing a standout quarterback. Florida, Colorado, Penn State and BYU will be debuting new starters under center. At a time when offensive sophistication has reached its college apex, an experienced quarterback is more important than ever. Just ask Colorado coach Rick Neuheisel, who will replace departed starter Koy Detmer with senior John Hessler, who took over when Detmer suffered a knee injury in the fourth game of 1995 -- against Texas A&M -- and led the Buffs to a 7-2 mark under his watch.

"It's invaluable," Neuheisel says about experience. "Two things that make a great quarterback are patience and experience. The fact that John has some experience goes a long way toward his maturation as a quarterback. It will determine how quickly he'll give us the quarterback play we need."

Not every coach is in Neuheisel's shoes. Some are more worried than others, but none is entirely comfortable.

Patience rewarded

During his four years at Penn State, fifth-year senior Mike McQueary has served as a backup to John Sacca, Kerry Collins and Wally Richardson. He began his Nittany Lions career buried so far down the depth chart that it was a wonder he chose the school to begin with.

"It's tough," says McQueary, a native of State College, Pa. "When you're a linebacker and you don't start you know you're going to play a little bit throughout the game, maybe 10-15 plays. But when there's a starting quarterback, he's the man, and the coaches don't interchange at that position. Going into a game, there's a chance you might play, but you're probably not going to. You have to be patient, pay your dues and realize the situation."

McQueary grew up a Notre Dame fan and hoped to play for the Fighting Irish, but that dream died in early 1993 when another Pennsylvania quarterback, Berwick High's Ron Powlus, announced be would head to South Bend. McQueary (6-4, 215) chose Penn State and began a long journey that ended in March, when Paterno named him the team's 1997 starting quarterback over talented redshirt freshman Rashard Casey. After redshirting in 1993 and seeing little action in three games in 1994, McQueary was 4-of-8 for 131 yards and two scores in 1995 as a mop-up man.

But McQueary did more than just clean up during the 1996 season. He helped the Nittany Lions close out USC in the Kickoff Classic when Richardson, a senior, aggravated a groin pull. Two months later, McQueary was the hero in the Lions' win at Indiana. He entered that game with six minutes left in the first half and Penn State down, 10-3, and led the team to 38 unanswered points and a 48-26 victory. Richardson was still the Penn State starter, but it was clear the team's quarterbacking future was in good hands.

"He's a great leader, a strong kid and a hard worker," Paterno says about McQueary. "The kids love him. He's not going to do everything right, and he's not the smoothest guy in the world, but he's got intelligence, toughness and confidence in himself. I think he'll be pretty good."

Six of on ...

For a guy whose complex offense depends extensively on the quarterback's ability to make quick and efficient decisions, BYU's LaVell Edwards doesn't seem too concerned that none of the three candidates to replace Steve Sarkisian has distinguished himself yet. "I told the press around here after the spring game that the uncertainty will give the talk shows something to talk about over the summer," Edwards says with a laugh.

Although Utah call-in hosts are thankful for the chance to speculate on who will eventually start, Cougars fans should be careful not to read Edwards' ambivalence the wrong way. He's confident that whoever emerges in the three-man derby -- juniors Paul Shoemaker and Riley Jensen or sophomore Kevin Feterik -- will thrive as much because of the anticipated strength of the BYU ground game as the passers' talent.