Post by lionsroar on Mar 9, 2009 6:58:15 GMT -5
www.ledger-enquirer.com/sports/story/642689.html
Lions' quarterback job still up for grabs
Even in a tough economy, there are some things you can’t even give away.
The Columbus Lions found this out at training camp, as there has been little leeway in the three-man race to fill the starting quarterback spot left by the injured Joey Conrad.
“I really kind of wish someone would just step up and take the job,” Lions coach Jason Gibson said. “Every day I have to change my mind. It’s inconsistent. Someone different is the best every day. I just want someone to take it.”
All three are likely to stay on the roster through the season, Gibson said, but that doesn’t make the decision any easier, particularly with the season-opener at the Carolina Speed on Saturday in Charlotte, N.C.
The three contenders — Kevin Huff, Chris McCoy and Bill Ashburn — are new to the squad. And while none has made the position his own, each brings a different skill set that makes them a potential candidate to start on opening day.
Huff, a rookie out of Tuskegee, brings the most power, a key ingredient in the pass-heavy indoor league.
“Huff has a big-time arm,” Gibson said. “He can throw all over the field.”
McCoy, a former standout at Navy from Morris, Ga., has been out of football for several years but can scramble and may be the best director in the pack.
“McCoy’s just a real leader,” Gibson said. “In a lot of drills, he’s not in the top two right now. But he always finds a way to score. When he wants to get down the field and score, he always finds a way to get in the end zone. That’s just what he does.”
Ashburn, a former Louisville quarterback with arenafootball2 experience, came in to training camp in the last week and could have been at a disadvantage because the other quarterbacks had two weeks of experience on the team. But his key to the starting role may be his quick adaptability.
“Bill is a good quarterback, and the thing with him is that he’s only been here three or four days and he’s already doing the same things the other guys are doing after two-and-a-half weeks,” Gibson said.
The Lions’ receivers, however, may have the de facto final say in the decision. With only days to go before the first game, the ability to connect with receivers may be more important than having the strongest arm or best speed in drills.
“There has to be some relationships built,” Gibson said. “I don’t mean between me and all of them, but between the quarterback and the receivers. I’m looking for a consistent quarterback, and the one who can make those relationships may be the one.”
:smileylions:
Lions' quarterback job still up for grabs
Even in a tough economy, there are some things you can’t even give away.
The Columbus Lions found this out at training camp, as there has been little leeway in the three-man race to fill the starting quarterback spot left by the injured Joey Conrad.
“I really kind of wish someone would just step up and take the job,” Lions coach Jason Gibson said. “Every day I have to change my mind. It’s inconsistent. Someone different is the best every day. I just want someone to take it.”
All three are likely to stay on the roster through the season, Gibson said, but that doesn’t make the decision any easier, particularly with the season-opener at the Carolina Speed on Saturday in Charlotte, N.C.
The three contenders — Kevin Huff, Chris McCoy and Bill Ashburn — are new to the squad. And while none has made the position his own, each brings a different skill set that makes them a potential candidate to start on opening day.
Huff, a rookie out of Tuskegee, brings the most power, a key ingredient in the pass-heavy indoor league.
“Huff has a big-time arm,” Gibson said. “He can throw all over the field.”
McCoy, a former standout at Navy from Morris, Ga., has been out of football for several years but can scramble and may be the best director in the pack.
“McCoy’s just a real leader,” Gibson said. “In a lot of drills, he’s not in the top two right now. But he always finds a way to score. When he wants to get down the field and score, he always finds a way to get in the end zone. That’s just what he does.”
Ashburn, a former Louisville quarterback with arenafootball2 experience, came in to training camp in the last week and could have been at a disadvantage because the other quarterbacks had two weeks of experience on the team. But his key to the starting role may be his quick adaptability.
“Bill is a good quarterback, and the thing with him is that he’s only been here three or four days and he’s already doing the same things the other guys are doing after two-and-a-half weeks,” Gibson said.
The Lions’ receivers, however, may have the de facto final say in the decision. With only days to go before the first game, the ability to connect with receivers may be more important than having the strongest arm or best speed in drills.
“There has to be some relationships built,” Gibson said. “I don’t mean between me and all of them, but between the quarterback and the receivers. I’m looking for a consistent quarterback, and the one who can make those relationships may be the one.”
:smileylions: