University of Connecticut Athletics
Quarterback Competition In Full Swing
8/14/2022 7:22:00 PM | Football
UConn Athletic Communications / Aug. 14, 2022
STORRS – With less than two weeks remaining until the UConn football team's season opener at Utah State (Aug. 27), the Huskies' four-way quarterback competition remains in full swing.
And with the team's practice time evolving this week from fall camp mode to in-season mode, the intensity is about to increase exponentially for Ta'Quan Roberson, Tyler Phommachanh, Zion Turner, and Cale Millen.
"The very first attribute that I'm looking for is, 'Is the guy a good decision-maker?' " UConn Coach Jim Mora said when asked what will decide the four-way race. "I think that's so important at that position because he handles the ball, he runs the offense, he has to make great decisions. If you don't have a guy who's a good decision-maker, then you're going to have inconsistencies and you don't want inconsistency.
"The second thing you want to see is accuracy and timing and a guy who can put it where it's supposed to be when it's supposed to be there – I put that over arm strength. The third thing is mobility – he has to be able to stay alive in the pocket, find throwing lanes, buy some time out of the pocket and, if he can get downfield and make plays with his legs, that's a factor.
"The fourth thing would be leadership. You need a guy who can take charge. When things aren't going well, he knows how to settle things down. When there's a feeling that they need to be kicked into gear, he can grab them and kick them into gear. You're looking for someone your team responds to. And then, you want poise – you have to have someone who is poised and can handle tough situations think through them and go back to No. 1 – good decisions."
While the head coach may have clearly laid out the path to the starting quarterback spot, that doesn't mean any of the four contenders took steps along it during Saturday's second team scrimmage.
"I wish I could say, 'This guy jumped out at me or that guys jumped out at me,' only I can't say that," he said. "That doesn't mean I'm disappointed in any of them because they work at it. Am I disappointed in the day we had at that position? Yes. Am I disappointed in the players? No. But we have to start making some real-time progress at that position."
The tight-knit group of quarterbacks was well-aware that Saturday's scrimmage was not the best day for the offense, but they are encouraged by the overall progress they made during camp and are primed for the final two weeks of competition.
"We know we have to come together more and perform better," said Roberson, the redshirt sophomore transfer from Penn State. "But as a group, we are competing real well and we're very close off the field.
"As a football player and a quarterback, you can never be complacent. No matter where you are on the depth chart, you always have to have that starter's mentality because you never know what can happen. I think my biggest improvement is knowing the offense and playing faster. I try to get at least one percent better every day."
Phommachanh, the redshirt freshman, who was the Huskies' starter last year before a season-ending knee injury, is looking to come all the way back in his recovery.
"It's been good competition because we all have skill sets," he said. "Nobody comes out here to sit the bench, everybody wants to be a 1. We're all competing to the best of our abilities and doing what we can do to get on the field against Utah State.
"I think my strength is my ability to create, to extend plays when there's nothing there."
Turner has been impressive as a true freshman. He knows what his coach is looking for in a starter.
"I think I have improved in my decision-making," he said. "Just to be able to go over the film every day and assess what we're doing is helping me get better. The game moves a lot faster (than high school) but think I have a pretty good football IQ. And Coach Mora is putting together a great plan to help us get better."
Coach Nick Charlton, the Huskies' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, knows that decision-time is fast approaching.
"It's not just today, it's the whole body of work, and it's becoming more clear," he said. "I'll sit down with Coach and we'll grade everything. We have a good idea of where it's going, but we have to evaluate it. There's not necessarily a clear-cut No. 1. We'll review the tape from today and go from there – and that's my 'coach-speak' answer."
