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ECU wraps up spring with wide open quarterback battle

Apr 12, 2012

Greenville, N.C. — Ruffin McNeill entered last season with East Carolina having the luxury of knowing who the starting quarterback would be. That is not the case this year as the Pirates wind down spring practice and prepare for Saturday’s spring game.

Dominque Davis was behind center for McNeill since the former ECU cornerback took the helm at his Alma Matter in 2010, but Davis now has his eyes on the NFL, leaving a four-man battle for the job in 2012. More Info     More ECU Stories

Senior Brad Wornick, junior Rio Johnson, sophomore Shane Carden and redshirt freshman Cody Keith have all taken turns in the rotation over ECU’s 14 spring practices and scrimmages. Johnson, who backed up Davis last year, was feeling a good push from Carden before a recent injury to his right index finger. McNeill insists he still hasn’t ruled anybody out.

“Rio did a very good job last year backing up Dominique,” McNeill said Wednesday while joining Adam and Joe on 99.9 The Fan ESPN Radio. “Shane was really coming on. Before he got hurt, he had three consecutive days of really throwing the ball well and really operating the football team. Cody Keith, the young freshman, he’s been a pleasant surprise to see how far he’s come along since (being) a true freshman - throwing the football and having some unique poise for a young fellow. Then Brad Wornick, he’s done a very good job competing as well. Those guys are really going at it every day.”

Johnson appeared in four games for ECU last season completing 20 of 29 passes for 157 yards and one interception. He also had a season-long rush of 11 yards while being sacked six times.

McNeill said that he and offensive coordinator Lincoln Riley have designed the quarterback repetitions equally “where one guy gets a little more this day and the other guy gets a little more the next day.”

As is the case in every position battle, there is bound to be friendly competition that may jeopardize otherwise cohesive relationships, but McNeill said that the quarterback battle has been nothing but a positive for the Pirate offense so far.

“They get along great,” McNeill said. “Are they competing for the job, yes, but the camaraderie is there among the team.”

For the ECU signal-caller-to-be, more workouts and repetitions beyond this spring will be necessary before official word from the staff comes down. McNeill said that the competition is still open and is unlikely to be settled following Saturday’s spring game.

“Right now, I don’t see it (the starting quarterback) being named at the end of spring,” McNeill said. “I think it will go into two-a-days and into camp. That position is so vital. That position not only involves on-field decisions, but being a leader for us off the field.”

ECU will take to the turf at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium for their annual spring game Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

• Reporter: Aaron Schoonmaker