As the Wisconsin football team continues spring practice, it encounters a situation it hasn't had in a couple years-a quarterback controversy. With incumbent Jim Sorgi graduating after last season, the quarterback position is up for grabs. With Sorgi's departure, the Badgers are left with a group of mostly young, inexperienced passers.??
The elder statesman of the quarterbacks is senior-to-be Matt Schabert, who is also the most experienced, playing in 12 games last year as a result of injuries to Sorgi. The most memorable of which was the Ohio State game, where he threw a game-winning pass to Lee Evans.
The only other Badger quarterback to have logged time at the college level is John Stocco, a redshirt sophomore-to-be. Stocco played in three games last year, throwing for only 123 yards, with no touchdowns or interceptions.??
The other two quarterbacks on the roster are Tyler Donovan, a red-shirt freshman, and Sean Lewis, a true freshman.??Without any experienced passers, the Badgers are using spring practice to try and settle the friendly competition that has developed amongst the quarterbacks.
Each quarterback has his strong spots, and areas upon which the coaches would like to see him work. According to Coach Jeff Horton, the Badger's quarterback's coach, it is \crystal clear"" that the number one spot is Stocco's to lose. Stocco has really impressed the coaches so far with his arm strength and how much he has matured over the off-season.??
""Johnny's really established himself as a starter. He's got a terrific arm, and each day he understands the offense a little better,"" Horton said. ""Playing at the end of the year last year gave him a little confidence, and he's carried that over through the off-season ... becoming a leader on the team.""
While he has the natural skills to lead the Badgers, Stocco realizes his inexperience hurts him.??
""I think, just overall, [I must work on] reading defenses and understanding what they're trying to do, if they're trying to blitz, so I can anticipate [what the defense will do],"" Stocco said.
Schabert, while not having as much natural ability as Stocco, has experience on his side. He has played in and watched more college games than any of the others, and is more accustomed to the quick pace of the game.?? However, he is not getting many reps in the spring practices.
""Matt knows the situation ... we're going to give the other guys the majority of the reps. I know where [Matt] is after four years,"" Horton said.??
Where Schabert may prove most valuable to the team is teaching the younger players. Not only can he tell the younger quarterbacks how to prepare to play against the Ohio States of the world, but he can also teach them how to get acclimated to college, and how to balance the roles of both student and athlete.
""He's like a player-coach right now, and he's done a good job with that,"" Horton commented.
Both Donovan and Lewis have a steep learning curve, having never played in a college game.?? Lewis will probably spend the season as the scout team quarterback, a post Donovan held last year. But at 6'7' he has the size and arm strength coaches dream about in quarterbacks. Donovan, on the other hand, is more athletic.
""Tyler has real good athletic ability, but [he's] kind of slow catching up to what we're trying to do offensively, but in his defense this is his first spring. He does have good ability, he can move around ... and each day he takes some small steps,"" Horton said.
If he takes enough steps forward, he could challenge Stocco for the starting job.
While the coaches say he's the starter right now, Stocco does not put too much weight in that, saying ""Coach Horton is a big believer that the best guy should play. It doesn't matter how old you are, he's going to put the best guy on the field. Basically it's wide open.\
