San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
USD’S QB COMPETITION COMING DOWN TO WIRE
Grad Erickson, junior Sergent make their case in scrimmage
In its lone preseason scrimmage Saturday, the University of San Diego’s football team ran the ball 30 times, watched six quarterbacks attempt a combined 27 passes, scored five touchdowns, kicked three field goals and five extra points, and punted twice. But when it was all done, one pressing subject remained undecided.
Head coach Dale Lindsey still isn’t ready to name a starting quarterback.
“I think it’s going to be another week,” said Lindsey. “I think they’ve all shown at times they’re capable, but
I’m looking for consistency. Can they find the open guy under pressure? Sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t.”
USD opens the season at home Sept. 3 against Division III La Verne.
The quarterback battle appears to have come down to graduate student Judd Erickson and redshirt junior Grant Sergent. Erickson played in four games last season with so-so results. He completed only 53.5 percent of his passes and suffered
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three interceptions against three touchdowns.
Sergent hasn’t attempted a pass in two seasons, his playing time coming as a holder.
But Sergent, who played at Palma High in Salinas, exhibited a strong arm Saturday, completing 4 of 7 attempts for 58 yards. Erickson’s numbers were similar: 5 of 8 for 67 yards.
“We’re going to leave it up to (the coaching staff) and see what they think,” said Erickson, who played in one series during three years at Colorado State. “Whoever they decide to name can step up and lead this team. There’s a lot of good guys around us.”
Said Sergent: “I want to start. Obviously he wants to start. Whoever does, this team is in good hands.”
Lindsey said he will consider rotating quarterbacks.
“I don’t like that (rotating quarterbacks), but it’s what we could do,” he said.
While the offense scored on eight of 11 possessions, the stat is misleading. Five drives started on the offense’s 40. Four started on the defense’s 40 and two on the defense’s 20.
The defense recorded five sacks, knocking the rushing total to 30 carries for 82 yards. In the passing game, USD was 14 of 27 for 188 yards and three TDS.
But the bottom line is that the coaching staff thought the offense won the day.
“The good thing,” defensive coordinator Bobby Jay told his players, “is we have two weeks to get better.”
“The norm when we have a (preseason) scrimmage is that the defense is ahead of the offense,” said Lindsey. “I just felt the offense had a better day.”
In his nearly five-decade career as a coach, Lindsey has spent almost all that time finding ways to stop the opposition from scoring, so he wasn’t pleased with Saturday’s results.
“Defense wins games. Offense sells tickets,” he said. “I prefer winning games. I don’t care if anybody comes to the games.”
Another challenge facing the offense is replacing graduated running backs Emilio
Martinez and Terrence Smith, who combined to rush for a 4,699 yards in their careers.
That, too, could be a job by committee. Combined, Chris Childers, Javon Sturns and Rhyle Hanson gained 82 yards on 12 carries. Childers is an Indiana transfer.
“Our running backs, I think we’ve got a really good crew,” said Lindsey.
Sophomore Aidan Lehman, who punted last season, was 3-for-3 on fieldgoal attempts, including a 48yarder.
“I think our kicking game might be a little better this year,” said Lindsey. “Our kickers now know between the uprights is what you’re looking for. Previously, I don’t think they understood that.”