UConn QB Tim Boyle (14) gets the ball off just as he is hit by Temple DB Khiry Lucas (20) at Rentschler Field.
There are going to be many story lines for the UConn football team as they begin spring practice on Saturday morning.
But the main one is who will be the starting quarterback for the UConn football program in 2015?
With the graduation of Chandler Whitmer and the retirement of Casey Cochran due to concussions, the UConn Huskies will have a battle for the top spot at quarterback. Tim Boyle, a junior next season, Bryant Shirreffs, a redshirt sophomore, and Tyler Davis, a true freshman, will all get a chance to take the first offensive snap against Villanova on September 3.
Head coach Bob Diaco has gone on record saying that he wants the quarterback situation to be settled by the end of spring practice. And on Wednesday afternoon on a conference call with the media, he didn’t shy away from that statement.
“I am not backing away from it, I would like to see a leader emerge from those,” Diaco said. “Everybody for practice one is expected to be full speed, so through that competition I’m very hopeful that not only will a leader emerge, but we’ll have a pecking order of 1-2-3.”
“That’s what we’re working toward, no doubt.”
Boyle has been given the chance to be QB1 over the last two seasons but has struggled mightily. He’s also the only one of the three who has taken a snap at UConn.
Shirreffs played in seven games for the North Carolina State Wolfpack in 2013 before transferring to UConn last fall. But he was mostly used as a wildcat QB running for 158 yards on 34 carries with a touchdown. He also was 4-of-5 passing with a touchdown as well.
Davis is fresh out of high school and will get a chance to compete since he enrolled early at UConn.
This will be an interesting battle to watch as all three possess different strengths.
Hopefully someone from this group will emerge. We definitely don’t need a situation like last season at the beginning where no one from the group of Whitmer, Cochran and Boyle put their best foot forward.
