SPOKANE, Wash. -
If the season started today the competition would be over and Jeff Tuel would be the starting quarterback. But it doesn't and he isn't, so the competition is still technically open, said coach Mike Leach.
But for all intents and purposes, the race is over.
Tuel got the bulk of the snaps on Saturday. Dan Gilbertson saw some action too, as did Cody Clements and Jesse Brown. But Tuel has been the one who has stepped up and shined in Leach's new spread offense.
Now a senior, Tuel went 19-of-21 for 285 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's Crimson and Gray scrimmage in Spokane. At one point he had 15 straight completions.
"If we were to play today Jeff would be our starter," said Leach. "But the thing is, they are all going to go work and develop their skills and all that. And then we're going to stick them in the bag and shake it up and see who walks out in camp."
Leach has some great lines, doesn't he?
"I will handle it the same was as if he said ‘Jeff is the starting quarterback, there is no competition whatsoever', or if he said it's a full-on competition," said Tuel of the situation. "Either way I'm going into it – I'm going to be myself and I'm going to lead this team and get these guys ready to go no matter what because it's something we need to do. We need to continue to build this offense and get better as a football team."
The Cougars have one more practice in Pullman on Tuesday.
Key numbers from Saturday's scrimmage:
Total attendance: 10,713
Passing yards (Jeff Tuel): 285
Receiving yards (Dominique Williams): 121
Sacks (Logan Mayes): 4.5
© Jeff Tuel threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's Crimson & Gray game (Photo: SWX)
