Starting quarterback competition down to 3 underclassmen

IU Coach Kevin Wilson is not likely to use this article as bulletin-board material.

“They don’t read the papers, so I ain’t trying to motivate them,” Wilson said. “I’ve already talked to them. They’ve already been motivated.”

Wilson is hoping his own methods of motivation will do the trick. He had better, as he said his quarterbacks remain a long way from where he would like them to be by the season opener Sep. 3 against Ball State University.

“We’re a long way away from having a good one,” Wilson said. “We just need to be better there.”

At this point in the fall practices, the competition has effectively been narrowed down to three underclassmen from the five quarterbacks on the roster. Sophomores Dusty Kiel and Edward Wright-Baker and true freshman Tre Roberson comprise the top
three contenders.

“We’re playing a lot of young players so I’m sure it’s not as ideal as any person would want it, but they need to do better,” Wilson said. “They will. We’re pushing them.”

Co-Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks Coach Rod Smith has been working with the quarterbacks throughout the fall and can now recognize the differences in what each quarterback brings to the team.

“Dusty’s probably more of a pure thrower than all of them,” Smith said. “(He) spins the ball pretty nice. He’s had some experience. (He) still has a little bit of athleticism, has the feet to buy some time if he needs to.
“Ed’s had a pretty decent camp so far as well. He’s got a big arm and a great build on him, athletic,
moves well.”
However, given the added experience each of them has compared to the team’s other quarterbacks, Smith is not satisfied with their performances thus far in camp.

“I haven’t seen what I’m expecting out of both of them,” Smith said. “I thought they both had fairly decent springs. I want to see this fall camp elevated. I think they did some good things, but I think there’s a whole other level they can get to. A whole other level, maybe two.”

Unlike Kiel and Wright-Baker, Roberson, still in high school at the time, was not at spring practices. However, Smith has been impressed with what Roberson has done to catch up to his veteran teammates this fall.

“Tre, he’s such an athletic kid,” Smith said. “He’s a little bit dynamic in terms of his He throws a pretty nice ball. He’s a little raw mechanics-wise. We’ve got to keep working some fundamentals with him. That’ll keep going on throughout camp and throughout the year.”

Still, his inexperience remains an issue, especially compared to counterparts with game experience.

“He brings a little extra dimension that the rest of them really don’t have as much of, but he’s a young guy,” Smith said. “He’s never taken any college snaps. That’s his downside. We’ll see, but I’ve been pleased with his progress so far. He’ll keep coming. He’s got a long ways to go, but I’m pleased with him. I think he’s going to be a real good player before it’s all said and done.”

Schematically, the offense is likely to be similar no matter who the starting quarterback ultimately is, Smith said. Likewise, the job of the team’s receivers is unlikely to vary based on the signal caller.

“There’s a couple of different styles, but I think the one thing that’s constant is that all of our quarterbacks can run, so that’s a good thing,” sophomore wide receiver Kofi Hughes said. “I think they’re all pretty balanced. They run the option pretty well and they can all pass.”

Smith partially blames the lack of a single quarterback emerging on the volume of new material the staff has expected them to master in a relatively short amount of time.

“I think they’re thinking too much,” Smith said. “They’re not reacting. Any time you tie up the mind, you slow down the feet. The thought process isn’t quite the same. You’re just not letting it loose. You’re not playing fast enough.

“We have thrown a lot at them this fall. I think once we start scaling back, we play a little better. We see some good things, but not nearly enough consistency that I’d like to see early on.”

Co-Offensive Coordinator and Wide Receivers Coach Kevin Johns also recognizes the burden being put on the quarterback candidates now, but said it should ultimately make them better come game time.

“We’re putting pressure on them and we’re going to see how they perform,” Johns said. “It’s the old John Wooden theory that practices are harder than games, and that’s what we’re trying to do right now.”

As a former collegiate quarterback, Smith knows what to look for in practice as signs that a quarterback is ready to lead the team on the field.

“At the quarterback position, you want to see completions. You don’t want to see turnovers. That’s where you start,” Smith said. “If you do that, then chances are you’re getting first downs, and if you’re getting first downs, then chances are you’re going to score touchdowns. You’re going to get points. That’s where it starts with the quarterbacks.”

Even though it is not yet clear who the quarterback will be, the receivers aim to establish a rapport with all of the possible starters, recognizing that the quarterback who starts a game may not be the one who finishes it.

“I want to establish chemistry with all of them so it really don’t matter who is considered the starter at quarterback,” senior wide receiver Dre Muhammad said. “I just want to have chemistry with every single one of them. I think that’s important in case one goes down. Then you have chemistry with the
next one.”
With chemistry being established among all potential quarterbacks and receivers, the coaching staff can take its time before the beginning of the season and ensure it chooses the best quarterback to start.

“What’s the day of the first game? The night before, we’ll know,” Smith said. “We don’t have to have a set time. I’ve been doing this long enough that I think that’s way overblown. All it is is ‘who gives your team the best chance to win?’ That’s who you go with.”