Huskies Position Reviews – Quarterback

The quarterback position is bright for the Huskies, both in the present and future.  Here is the current depth chart at the position.

JAKE LOCKER!, RS SR., 6-3, 226-  You might already know how I think Jake is a superhero.  When Locker announced that he was returning the win expectancy for the Dawgs automatically jumped up by at least two.  In every game he plays in he will most likely be the best player on the field, based on physical skills.  The only downside to Jake is that he has struggled with injuries a little bit throughout his career here. 

What Jake needs to work on in the spring:  Jake obviously has the raw talent; that’s been obvious since his first year on campus.  But, it’s easy to forget this is only his second year in a new system.  His spring will be well spent getting an even better grasp on this pro-style offense.  He will also look to improve his accuracy.  Jake had a 58% completion percentage last year, I think he is capable of 65% and with a better grasp of the offense and improved accuracy he will get to this number.

Keith Price, RS FR., 6-1, 184-  Price has put on weight and is closer to 200 than his listed 184.  Price spent last year redshirting and working with the scout team.  With the departure of Ronnie Fouch, Price is in line to become the backup this fall.  Coaches love his athletic ability and have tweaked his throwing motion since he’s come into school. 

What Price needs to work on in the spring:  Price needs to develop his passing skills.  No one questions his running ability but if he’s going to fit into the Huskies offense he has to become an accurate  short and mid-range passer.  Price has to also be comfortable enough with the offense to be able to come in mid-game and run with the starters.  Price is at risk of getting overlooked, with Jake in front of him and Montana behind him.  This spring is a very important one for Keith Price.

Nick Montana, FR., 6-3, 191-  I went over the kind of player Montana is our recruiting overviews but I’ll give a quick review.  Montana is more of a pocket passer compared to Locker and Price.  He is a very good fit in Sark’s offensive system.  Montana will hopefully be redshirting this year so he can put on some weight and become familiar with the offense.  With the loss of Fouch it is quite possihble that Montana could see some action.

What Montana needs to work on in the spring:  Like all incoming freshman, Montana will need to get used to the speed of the college game.  This will be his first chance to run the offense and it won’t be without a few bumps in the road.  It’s great that Montana is here in the spring to get in repitition and to get comfortable.  I hope he will come in and blow us away while challenging Price for the backup position.

Position overview:  This is one of the Huskies best positions for one simple reason, number 10.  He’s in the top 5 quarterbacks in the nation and this spring will only help that as he gets more coaching.  The lack of depth at the position is a concern.  If Jake goes down, are either of the other guys ready step in?  I don’t know, but we’ll have a better understanding once practices are done for the spring.  I’m looking forward to seeing what these two younger guys can do.  Oh yeah, another goal for this spring: keep Jake healthy please!

I’ll be back with the running back overview in the next few days.  Thanks for reading!

Andrew