FIU quarterback competition figures to continue into the fall

Spring is over for FIU football …

But the battle for the starting quarterback job is just starting.

Ex-Duke starter Gunnar Holmberg, 2021 FIU backup Grayson James and untested Haden Carlson competed on equal football in practices that ended with Saturday’s spring showcase, at least according to Panthers coach Mike MacIntyre.

“All three quarterbacks have done some really good things in camp,” MacIntyre said. “I’ve been impressed with all of them. All three of them can run.”

When it comes to throwing the football, MacIntyre has praised all three, too.

He has said James “has a strong arm.” MacIntyre said Carlson “has an excellent arm and can make every throw.” And MacIntyre said he has been “impressed with Gunnar’s accuracy and his understanding of the offense.”

While all of that may be true, MacIntyre has less than five months to choose one starting quarterback for FIU’s season opener against visiting Bryant on Sept. 1.

MacIntyre, though, is emphasizing depth, hoping to keep all three quarterbacks on his roster for the entire 2022 season.

“Every year I’ve coached, basically, I’ve had two or three quarterbacks play,” MacIntyre said.

However, a review of MacIntyre’s record at his two previous stops as head coach – San Jose from 2010 to 2012 and Colorado from 2013 to 2018 – show that he usually relies heavily on one quarterback.

At San Jose State, Jordan La Secla started all 13 games in 2010; Matt Faulkner started 11 of 12 games in 2011; and David Fales started all 13 games in 2012.

At Colorado, Sefo Liufau missed just four starts in three years, and Steven Montez started all 24 games in 2017 and 2018. The one exception was 2013, when Liufau and Connor Wood split snaps fairly evenly.

Still, getting named starter before the fall opener is important, and the egos of the two QBs not chosen will have to be addressed.

“It’s always tough when you make that first decision,” MacIntyre conceded. “How guys react to getting (the starting job) and not getting it is the key to the whole thing. It’s the key to us being successful as a team.”

Interestingly, MacIntyre said he didn’t have three playmaking QBs at his other stops like he has now.

“It was maybe one guy or someone who wasn’t even on campus when I first arrived,” MacIntyre said of his QB talent at San Jose State and at Colorado.

MacIntyre said he wants to see intangibles from his quarterback, especially after getting named the starter.

“You want to see him handle it with humility,” MacIntyre said. “You want to see him be ready to play, and you want to see him be a leader.”

MacIntyre said he listens to what legendary coach Bill Parcells has said about choosing a quarterback.

“You can’t tell until they get in a game, they get hit hard, and they have to get back up and step up in the pocket,” MacIntyre said of assessing QBs. “How do they react after making a mistake or throwing a pick?

“(Parcells) also talked about a guy who has a good game. How does he handle the praise? When he has a bad game and everybody is on him, how does he handle that?

“We’re judging everything on practice, but you really won’t know until you play games.”

THIS AND THAT

▪ Holmberg threw an interception on Saturday that was picked by Brian Blades Jr., son of the former Miami Hurricanes wide receiver.

▪ Carlson threw a 25-yard TD pass to wide receiver Kris Mitchell.

▪ Shaun Peterson Jr., newly converted from running back to linebacker this spring, had a sack.