Panthers’ Caleb Lynum switches to receiver, leaving 4 in quarterback competition at FIU

FIU football coach Butch Davis revealed this week that redshirt sophomore Caleb Lynum has switched from quarterback to wide receiver.

Davis is hoping this switch is as successful as the identical move made in the spring of 2018 by Maurice Alexander, who became a receiver and also a first-team All-Conference USA punt returner.

“Caleb told me, ‘I see myself as an athlete,” Davis said.

Lynum’s shift leaves four scholarship quarterbacks competing for the starting job this fall: senior Max Bortenschlager, who transferred in this summer from the University of Maryland; redshirt junior Kaylan Wiggins; redshirt freshman Stone Norton; and true freshman Haden Carlson.

Of those four, only Bortenschlager (10 starts) and Wiggins (one start) have collegiate experience.

The stakes in this QB decision are potentially high because Davis’ past two starting quarterbacks at FIU were both drafted by the NFL: Alex McGough in the seventh round by the Seattle Seahawks and James Morgan as a New York Jets fourth-rounder.

Davis said Bortenschlager’s experience was attractive to FIU:

“What we liked about Max is that he is very athletic, a little bit similar to McGough.

“Max has been a starter. He’s played in Big Ten games, and he has a really good arm.”

Bortenschlager’s main competition at FIU will likely be Wiggins, who beat New Hampshire 30-17 last year in his only collegiate start. In that game, Wiggins set a school record for most rushing yards by a quarterback (187).

“We know he can run,” Davis said of Wiggins, who completed 12-of-18 passes for 127 yards with no interceptions against New Hampshire.

“I think Kaylan learned an awful lot from that game. I saw more maturity from him.

“Instead of just relying on athleticism, you have to work on what’s in between your ears, studying film, the work ethic.

“None of [FIU’s quarterbacks] could have had a better example [on work ethic] than James Morgan, who was off the charts in terms of studying film, talking to the receivers in practice, helping those guys grow.

“I think [Morgan’s example] helped Kaylan. I’m excited. I want to see how much better Kaylan has become after what he has put in over the past few months.”

Norton and Carlson are considered the long-shots in this competition due to their lack of experience, but Davis said both “can really throw.”

Davis said his plan is to rotate all four quarterbacks for the first two weeks of training camp. After that, “we are going to have to narrow that four to probably two.”

Depth, Davis said, will be crucial this season. Translation: Don’t be surprised if FIU uses two QBs per game in this the year of the worst pandemic since 1918.

“We have to have two guys 100 percent prepared,” Davis said. “You never know when one of them might unfortunately come down with the coronavirus. … We’re going to have to practice them as if they are the starters, and we’re probably going to have to play [two of] them in the games so that they can continue to grow.”

Davis is hoping this QB fight can make all four of the candidates better.

“I’ve never seen a football player become great who didn’t endorse and love competition,” Davis said. “I can take that back to being an assistant coach with Jimmy Johnson at Miami and every place I’ve been. If you keep adding great competition, it helps guys become the best that they can be.”