FIU still looking for a starting quarterback as road game against Charlotte looms
Two games into their season, and the FIU Panthers still don’t have a singular figure at quarterback.
But that’s not the only issue for the Panthers, who are winless (0-2, 0-1 Conference USA) and will hit the road Saturday night to face Charlotte (1-2, 1-1). That could be a problem because FIU has lost seven consecutive games away from home.
As for the QB issue, FIU started Maryland transfer Max Bortenschlager in its season opener, a 36-34 loss at Liberty. In Saturday’s home opener, FIU started redshirt junior Kaylan Wiggins and lost 31-28 against Middle Tennessee. The Panthers also have redshirt freshman QB Stone Norton, who leads the team in passing yards.
FIU coach Butch Davis said Wiggins started against Middle Tennessee because there really wasn’t a choice.
“We had a difficult week [leading up to Middle Tennessee],” Davis said. “You hate to talk about this, but we had 17 players test false positive [for COVID-19]. We found out last Friday that some of [the 17] could play.
“Those guys ended up testing three times to get three negatives before the laboratory would tell the conference and our medical people that they were not positive.”
Because of the situation, Wiggins got almost all of the practice reps last week and played nearly the entire game Saturday. Norton and Bortenschlager got two series each against Middle Tennessee.
Norton has completed 12 of 18 passes for 141 yards, two touchdown and no interceptions this season. Wiggins has completed 6-of-19 passes for 42 yards, no TDs and one interception. Bortenschlager has completed 1 of 4 for 11 yards with no TDs and no interceptions.
FIU’s two previous starting quarterbacks under Davis — Alex McGough and James Morgan — were both drafted by NFL teams.
“We’re still trying to find out who is ‘that guy’,” Davis said. “When you don’t have that [established] starting quarterback, you’re in an experimental stage to find out which of these guys has the composure, talent and ability to make plays.”
Meanwhile, the Charlotte 49ers are coming off an impressive 49-21 win at North Texas. This will be Charlotte’s 2020 home opener. Interestingly, FIU’s most recent road win was at Charlotte, a 42-35 Panthers victory on Nov. 17, 2018.
As for Charlotte’s win over North Texas, the 49ers rolled up 599 yards of total offense, including 308 passing and a season-high 291 on the ground.
Charlotte junior quarterback Chris Reynolds is undersized (5-11, 190), but he ranks third in the league in passing yards per game (248).
Reynolds has already started 22 collegiate games, giving him an advantage over FIU’s passers. Reynolds has thrown for 31 TD passes and 15 interceptions in his career, and he has passed for at least 290 yards in two straight games.
Charlotte’s running game features transfer Tre Harbison and senior Aaron McAllister. Harbison ran for more than 1,000 yards in each of the past two seasons while playing for Northern Illinois. McAllister had a huge game against North Texas, running 12 times for 140 yards and catching two passes for 74.
Reynolds’ favorite wide receiver is junior Victor Tucker, who caught nine passes for 118 yards in a 21-17 loss to Florida Atlantic earlier this season.
THIS AND THAT
▪ Davis on issues with coronavirus, including false positives: “This is something we’re probably going to have to deal with this entire season.”
▪ FIU’s Lexington “Flex” Joseph leads C-USA in kickoff return average (33.5).
▪ FIU’s D’vonte Price leads C-USA in rushing (130 yards per game).
▪ FIU cornerback Josh Turner, an Iowa transfer, has one interception and leads the team in pass-breakups (three).