16 -- The Michigan Daily - Friday, September 10 , 1999 It seems like the days are gone where teams pick a quarterback and stick with him. In the era of the two-quarterback system, Michigan isn't the only school who has two solid quarterbacks. PLenty of schools are having duels to see who has the right to be ... THE MAN UNDER CENTER Penn State may keep rotation all season By William Kalec Daily Collegian STATE COLLEGE (U-Wire) -- Two quarterbacks? Too tough to decide, even after two games. So No. 2 Penn State will try to two-step it to No.I with a pair of quarterbacks, Kevin Thompson and Rashard Casey. "There are some advantages to it," said Penn State coach Joe Paterno. "I think both of those kids are handling it well and both of them add something when they go in." At the end of last season, it appeared Thompson had earned the right to start his senior season as the Lions' lone starting quarterback. And for Penn State's first drive against Arizona, that was the way it was. Thompson was under center--- for one possession. Then, to the surprise of almost everyone in Beaver Stadium, Casey entered the game. A year after it was supposed to be implemented, Penn State's two-quarterback system had finally arrived. Michigan never meant to have one, but the Wolverines sud- denly find themselves using more than one quarterback, too. Tom Brady will start tomorrow's game against Rice, but Drew Henson will play the second quarter. This is the same arrangement Michigan used against Notre Dame, and Michigan coach Lloyd Carr has not indicated whether it will last the entire season or not. He has said, though, that he will not alternate series, as many two-quarterback teams do. "I am not trying to create a problem for myself by trying to establish one guy as the quarterback," Paterno said after his two quarterbacks helped score 70 points against Akron. When they go in "they're fresh, they can watch the game from the side and they see the mistakes that are being made. I may become a con- vert." With Thompson and Rashard Casey posting a combined completion percentage greater than 64 percent, it's easy to see why Paterno might be sitting in a different pew. Together, they have thrown for five touchdowns and just one interception. But beyond stats, Thompson and Casey have proven to their teammates that the system is the key to Penn State's offensive production. For months last season, they battled for the right to be the starting quarterback come September. Every snap, every pass, every repetition was a chance to stake claim as the Nittany Lions' offensive leader. But after spring practice, nothing was decided -Thompson and Casey were even. It would stay that way, leading up to the season opener with Southern Mississippi, a rotating two-quarterback system was the only solution to Paterno's problem. The two-quarterback system ended after three weeks. At the completion of the 1998 season, Thompson's statistics dwarfed Casey's. While Thompson threw for a total of six touchdowns, Casey fired his first career scoring strike one year later, last week against Akron. "I never thought (Paterno) would, but when you have two guys who are making things work like there, how can you blame him?" Penn State fullback Mike Cerimele said. "It's great - it's great that they have that ability. "Those two guys understand what is going on. They both respect each other. They both want to go out there and do what- ever they can to help the team." Last Saturday, the quarterback tandem torched the Zips defense for 217 yards despite attempting only 12 passes. In fact, the Lions offense has been so potent, neither Thompson nor Casey has seen substantial time late in the fourth quarter. Both Thompson and Casey practice now that the current sys- tem is not likely to change. There is no more looking over the shoulder. There is no reason to try and force a big play when one cannot be made. "People are looking for, 'Well, isn't it hard for you to support AP PHO'I Rashard Casey (above) shares signalcalling duties with Nittany Lion teammate Kevin Thompson. him when he's out there doing well? Don't you want to be out there?"' Thompson said. "But people are asking you that because they want to write something down on paper and have a story. "We're not going to do that here. Penn State is a team, and that's how it's going to be." And it appears the two-quarterback system is how it is going to be for the rest of the season. "If Arizona can go 12-1 last year, I believe if Kevin and me do what we have to do, we can go 13-0" Casey said. "If they can do it, why can't we?" UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN PLATTE VILLE Study Abroad Programs '-CR Learn Your Way Around The World * Study abroad in England, Japan, or Spain * Courses in liberal arts and international business * Fluency in a foreign language a11 required * Home-stays with meals " Field traps * Financial aid applies (except for summer session) Program Costs: " For tuition, room, board and field trips per semester (for Wisconsin residents/non-residents) * In London, England: $4,975/$5,275 " In Nagasaki, Japan: $4,975/$5,275 * In Seville, Spain: $6,475/$6,775 Application deadlines: * April 1 for summer session * April 30 for fall semester * October 15 for spring semester For further information contact: Tol free: 1-800-342-1725 E-mail: StudyAbroad@uwplatt.edu Web: http://www.uwplatt.edu/~studyabroad Bollinger not prez of Badgers' offense By Chris LeBarton Badger Herald MADISON (U-Wire) - Wisconsin assistant coach Brian White isn't wor- ried about his quarterbacks and he doesn't think anyone else should be, either. He's seen Ortege Jenkins and Keith Smith pull it off at Arizona, and he's watched conference foes Michigan and Penn State employ a similar tactic this season. Drew Henson and Tom Brady have shared time for Michigan. Most notable perhaps was the suc- cess that Ohio State was able to enjoy two years ago. As Joe Germaine com- plemented a more nimble Stanley Jackson, the Buckeyes rolled to an IlI-I record and a Rose Bowl crown, while giving the notion of a two quarterback system credence. But White, who is still wet behind the ears in his first year as Wisconsin's offensive coordinator, is not looking for reassurance from watching other teams pull off a two- quarterback system. What's the point when they run different offenses with different personnel? "The only thing we can do is execute our offense, and take advantage of the strengths of our two guys," White said. "We don't run Arizona's offense, Penn State's offense or Ohio State's offense. It doesn't do us any good to try and model someone else." In fact, the only similarity between the 1999 Badgers and any of the afore- mentioned two-quarterback arrange- ments is the coaches' intentions to ride the system until it breaks. White admit- ted Tuesday that the coaching staff is in no rush to flush out a starter as long as Scott Kavanagh and Brooks Bollinger continue to complement one another without miscue. White could see them split time for the length of the season. "If last Saturday is any indication of how things are going to be, there's absolutely no reason to change it," White said. "Whether that'll continue, I don't know, I'm not a fortuneteller. I wish I had the crystal ball right now and could see the future clearly. No one would ever question why you'd play multiple running backs or fullbacks or tight ends. "Our whole philosophy is to play as many players that deserve to play, regardless of what the position. Both Scott and Brooks deserve to play. So until one of them doesn't deserve to play, then we're going to play both of them." White raises an interesting 'point. If every other position on the field is sub- stituted for, why not shuffle the men under center as the situation dictates? It's the same logic that dictated a substi- tution for the Detroit Lions' Barry Sanders inside the 5-yard-line. Fantasy AP PHOTO Chris McIntosh anchors a Wisconsin offensive line that does its best to protect whoever is under center for the Badgers. owners may not have liked it, but+ Sanders wasn't the bruiser the Detroit+ Lions wanted pounding up the middle1 when they were down by seven. Bollinger, who has accepted his posi- tion with the unfettered gratitude one would expect from a redshirt freshman in the nation's toughest conference, understands the system. In his a 3-for-7 performance against Murray State, Bollinger entered the game in the sec- ond quarter and should make entrance stage Saturday about the same time. Neither he nor Kavanagh, who looked sharp in his debut as the Badgers' starter, have been given any time frame or schedule regarding sub- stitutions. And frankly, Bollinger isn't surprised. "That's my job, to deal with it," Bollinger said. so. REC SPORTS INTRAMURALS The University of Michigan Department of Recreational Sports INTRAMURAL SPORTS PROGRAM KRPQs~ Syracuse has another option WHAT'S HAPPENING I SOCCER E POWERBAR ENTRIES TAKEN: Monday 9/13 ONLY 11:00 AM to 5:30PM, IMSB ENTRY FEE: $72 per team MANAGER'S MEETING: MANDATORY Weds 9/15, 6:00 PM, IMSB PLAY BEGINS: Thurs 9/16 Mitchell Fields POWERBAR 3-on-3 BASKETBALL ENTRIES TAKEN: Monday 9/13 ONLY 11:00 AM to 5:34OPM, IMSB ENTRY FEE: $45 per team MANAGER'S MEETING: MANDATORY Weds 9/15, 7:15 PM, IMSB PLAY BEGINS: Thurs 9/16, IMSB SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - They've known of each other for several years, having grown up at the same time in the same part of western Pennsylvania. Now, each has the same goal - to replace Donovan McNabb as the quar- terback of the Syracuse Orangemen. That's what makes it somewhat diffi- cult for Madei Williams and Troy Nunes. "It's rough," said Williams, a sopho- more who suffered an injury to the lit- tle finger on his non-throwing hand during the preseason, then watched as Nunes stepped up and tried to convince the coaching staff that he was their man. "I missed a lot of quality practices toward the end of training camp," said Williams, who by virtue of his role last year as McNabb's backup had the inside track to landing the job this year. "Those are big evaluation periods. Coach (Paul Pasqualoni) was telling me that's basically why my game playing was limited last Thursday (against Toledo). He's going to try to work me back up in there, and hopefully every- thing will be all right." Pasqualoni gave Nunes the start in the season-opener at Toledo, and the redshirt freshman, who worked hard to _ I SOFTBALL ICE HOCKEY ENTRIES DUE: Weds 9/15,4:30 PM, IMSB ENTRY FEE: $60 per team MANAGER'S MEETING: MANDATORY Thurs 9/16, 6:00 PM, IMSB TOURNAMENT BEGINS: Friday 9/17 Mitchell Fields ENTRIES TAKEN: Monday 9/20 ONLY 11:00 AM to 4:30 PM, IMSB ENTRY FEE: $395 per team MANAGER'S MEETING: MANDATORY Weds 9/22, 6:00 PM, IMSB PLAY BEGINS: Thurs 9/23 Yost Ice Arena Little Caesars PiSIzfl Or'r WEDNESDAY! Every Wednesday ' Medium Cheese & Pepperoni Pizza increase his size, strength and agility in the offseason, took advantage of the opportunity. He completed nine-of-13 passes for 118 yards and one touch- down, was not intercepted, and gain 44 yards on seven carries. Williams, still wearing a bandage on his injured finger, fumbled three times, completed one-of-four passes for eight yards, and ended up with minus-2 yards rushing in seven attempts. Williams remained frustrated at his predicament as the Orangemen pre- pared for Saturday night's home-opener against Central Michigan. "There's no clear-cut starter nou said Williams, a star at Pittsburg' Woodland Hills High School before coming to Syracuse. "Basically, the guy who happened to start has been doing a good job. When I got hurt, he made the most of his opportunity and proved to the coach that he could be a guy who could run this offense and run this team. "He did a pretty good job last week," Williams said. "1 can't knock anybody for that. As soon as this (injury) is40 straight and out of the way, there's no saying what can happen." What is likely to happen is that the Orangemen will continue to use both at the position, as well as tailback" Dee" Brown, who runs the option with aplomb. "We evaluate the quarterback situa- tion daily," offensive coordinator George DeLeone said. "The good news is we have three guys who can play* game. These guys have to become a unit as the season goes o smmm® mElmm W NIKE NIKE I I I