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The preseason competition for the Bowling Green Falcons' starting quarterback job has concluded, and head coach Dave Clawson has named the winner -- senior Matt Schilz.
In a move that might come as a surprise (or even disappointment) to some, Schilz held off the challenge by sophomore Matt Johnson. Johnson performed admirably in fall camp and provided fans with reason to believe that he could be a viable starter, especially in the Falcons' second scrimmage just two days ago.
Ultimately, though, it was Schilz who opened the door for this competition and the questions that will inevitably swirl round this decision by regressing in virtually every statistical category from his sophomore to junior season. Now, it will be squarely on Schilz to prove this decision to be a wise one and to prove that 2012 was a fluke rather than a trend.
Jack Carle of the Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune has posted an article about the decision that includes plenty of quotes from Clawson.
Now, the news (and the quotes in the linked article) could be interpreted in one of two ways. First, you could read into this that Schilz has the starting job on a permanent basis. If that's the case, then it would be difficult to see Clawson pulling the plug immediately, even if Schilz has a down performance against Tulsa. On the other hand, you could interpret this to mean that Schilz only has the job for the opener against Tulsa and that a poor performance could cause Clawson to shift to Johnson immediately.
Despite what Clawson says about Schilz and how well he played during fall camp, it is clear that he believes Johnson is ready to step in and be the starter, if necessary. This would lead me to believe that Schilz is on a short leash and needs to play well against Tulsa to keep the job going forward. This is especially true when you consider the expectations for the team this season and what is potentially at stake, both for the team and for Clawson.
In any event, fans have to hope at this point that Schilz plays to his 2011 numbers against Tulsa, leads the team to an impressive victory, and eliminates all questions about who should be the starter.
So, what do our esteemed readers of Hustle Belt think? Is Dave Clawson making the right move here, or should the Matt Johnson era have been ushered in today?