Who's the QB? Coaches have lot to consider

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:30PM

For fans, both crazed and casual, and Internet-obsessed devotees, the start of the high school football season can't arrive soon enough.

I know of more than a few coaches who don't share that sentiment - especially those who have to make difficult decisions regarding starting lineups before opening night Aug. 27.

None of the final determinations will have as direct an effect on wins and losses, or will be subjected to as much scrutiny, as who will start at quarterback.

I'm not minimizing the importance of other positions on the field, but quarterback is the most vital spot on the grid, maybe in sports.

And there are more than a handful of coaches in the Southland who have an agonizing QB battle on their hands.

Look no further than top programs St. Rita, Lemont, Marist and Lockport, among others.

In most instances, it's a senior and junior fighting it out - and that's where matters get tricky.

Does the senior, who has committed four years to the program, deserve the starting nod? Or does the junior, still a little wet behind the ears but who possesses more skill, deserve to hear his name announced in front of thousands of spectators?

"If the senior is solid, is a leader and someone who is looked up to in the school, I feel like we have to reward his loyalty," said Shepard coach Dominic Passolano, who led the Astros to a 6-4 mark in his first year in 2009. "We would move the junior to another position, especially if he's that good of an athlete. As coaches, we preach loyalty to the kids. You have to practice what you preach."

T.F. South coach Tom Padjen, who has a 192-33 mark and has guided the Rebels to the postseason in 14 of the past 16 years, has a different philosophy.

"It's an open competition," said Padjen, beginning year No. 34 at the Lansing school. "We would evaluate all candidates bases on similar situations in practice and scrimmages. It would come down to who is most consistent. It doesn't matter if he's a sophomore, junior or senior. Who starts doesn't go by class rank. It goes by who is ready to play the most and who gives us the best chance to be successful."

Padjen was faced with a QB dilemma a few years ago, when senior Kevin Hallberg was a sophomore.

Then-senior Josh Titus suffered an injury and would be out of action for a long stretch. Instead of rewarding one of the junior backups to the starting role, Padjen promoted Hallberg from the sophomore team.

"Some of the parents were upset," Padjen said. "Kevin gave us our best chance to be successful, so we moved him up to the varsity. The senior eventually came back and regained his starting role. But Kevin gave us our best chance to win and bringing him up accelerated his development for his junior season. Making decisions isn't about winning a popularity contest."

That's not to say it's all about winning, however.

Players who fail to produce optimum effort in practice or during the offseason generally shouldn't be rewarded with a starting position, no matter how much talent they exude.

And that's something parents, who are not privy to their talented child's practice habits, don't understand.

"It's the varsity and the kids who are the most prepared are the ones who start," Padjen said. "The ones who study the game plan, are most prepared and who make the needed adjustments are the kids who play. Not the most talented player who dogs it at practice."

When the more talented junior loses the battle to a loyal senior, Passolano insists that communication is the key to a smooth transition.

"The main thing is sitting down with the player and the parents and letting them know what we based our decision on," said Passolano, who'll rely on senior stud Dontae McCoy to move the chains. "He may not be the starting quarterback, but we'll move him to another position where he can help the team. To put the team ahead of yourself says a lot."

I can appreciate that. But in high school football's current climate, where players are expected to devote 11 months a year to the program, the final decision should be predicated on who gives the team the best chance to win.

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