Several quarterback competitions have been brewing across the WAC this summer with seven of the nine teams having choices to make at the position. WAC coaches hate making choices.
- Hawaii: Brent Rausch vs. Inoke Funaki vs. Greg Alexander
- Utah State: Sean Setzer vs. Jase McCormick vs. Diondre Borel
- Louisiana Tech: Taylor Bennett vs. Ross Jenkins
- Nevada: Colin Kaepernick vs. Nick Graziano
- Idaho: Nathan Enderle vs. ball control vs. good decision-making
- San Jose State: a bunch of nobodies vs. each other
With the regular season just days away, many teams have picked their starter for opening week either by default or by having them guess a number between one and ten. Pick seven, Kellen Moore! But no matter who many of these squads put under center, bad WAC teams will remain bad WAC teams. Here are some of the newly named scapegoats for the Broncos' rivals.
Brent Rausch gets the nod at Hawaii [Honolulu Advertiser]
Replacing Colt Brennan will not be easy, especially with the lifelike wax statue of him erected in the middle of the Warriors' locker room. But if anyone can do it, it ought to be someone who can throw deep balls off his back foot with stunning regularity.
Rausch's story is as unique as his throwing mechanics and is proof positive that resumés are overrated.
Rausch played 11-on-11 football only one season in the past six years. His high school team competed in an 8-on-8 league. He did not play his first year at College of the Desert because he worked in construction to pay for his school and living expenses.
The Roadrunners were 1-9 in 2006. Last season, with Rausch at the controls, they went 9-1 and qualified for the playoffs.
"He's a winner," Hawaii head coach Greg McMackin said.
That is quite some deductive reasoning by Coach Mack.
Sean Setzer at USU [KVNU Full Court Press]
After having one quarterback leave for their in-state rival and another QB quit football altogether, the Utah State Aggies are simply happy to have someone - anyone - who can take snaps, drop back three steps, get sacked, and probably fumble.
Sean Setzer is that someone, which is a step up from being that nobody. Setzer's stat line from last season (1-for-1, 2 yards) belies the ability that promises at least a doubling of those numbers. And if not, the Aggies are already grooming Plan B.
"Sean has done the best job of running our entire offense and doing everything that we need to do with our offense," Utah State head coach Brent Guy said. "He has a little more huddle command right now and that’s simply because he’s older and has more experience. Diondre is making great strides and Sean knows that Diondre is a person we trust to put into the ball game. You have to start somewhere and you have to start someone for that first series. We feel we have two guys that we can use."
Guy said that while Setzer will be the starting quarterback, Borel will see action as well.
"Sean Setzer will be our starting quarterback for the UNLV game but we anticipate Diondre Borel will be in the game a significant amount of time because he adds another dimension to our offense with his running skills," Guy said.
How's that for a vote of confidence?
Nevada's Kaepernick keeping the door open [Reno Gazette-Journal]
Colin Kaepernick ran roughshod over the Broncos last season. If only he could face the Broncos in fall practice...
Graziano, in a battle with Kaepernick for the starting job, appeared to have the better day throwing the ball, but Kaepernick, who has been running with the first team since camp opened on Aug. 4, felt the brunt of the pressure applied by the first-team defensive front. He was sacked eight times and often flushed out of the pocket or forced to throw too early.
Everyone's favorite chic WAC offense has yet to figure out the magic-eye mystery that is the Nevada defense. The numbers for each Wolf Pack QB were less than sensational (Graziano 6-for-15 and Kaepernick 10-for-23), which should lead to the premature death of Luke Lippincott when he gets 800 carries by week eight.