August 22, 2005
For those paying attention, the handwriting was on the wall, big enough and bold enough to emblazon a billboard.
And on the marquee? Kevin O'Connell.
San Diego State football coach Tom Craft, who made it clear from the outset that he intended to resolve the team's starting quarterback situation as soon as possible, swept away any lingering suspense yesterday when he tabbed O'Connell to start the season opener Sept. 3 against UCLA.
A sophomore who started the final five games of the 2004 season, O'Connell emerged the victor in a competition against redshirt freshman Darren Mougey.
"Kevin O'Connell, because of his experience in having started five games, is the guy that's going to get the nod," Craft said. "Both (O'Connell and Mougey) have big ceilings right now because they're young football players. They give us a dimension athletically, from a standpoint of both the pass and the run, that we're looking for. I'm glad that (the competition) was close, but Kevin is the one that's going to be our starter."
Though neither has set the world ablaze through the first two weeks of fall camp, O'Connell did engineer two touchdown drives in each of the team's first two scrimmages. After completing 7-of-13 passes for 46 yards in the first scrimmage a week ago, he was 11-of-22 for 111 yards and a touchdown on Saturday, an outing that included two interceptions. Mougey, who was sterling during spring drills while O'Connell was recovering from offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder, was 13-of-18 for 97 yards in the first scrimmage but just 4-of-8 for 36 yards on Saturday. He directed one scoring drive in the two scrimmages.
Nonetheless, Craft is not ruling out using Mougey in situational packages as the season unfolds.
"I would expect Darren to play a little bit every game in some capacity," Craft said.
Yet the ball clearly belongs to O'Connell, and not merely from a numbers standpoint. SDSU, which has not had a winning season or been to a bowl game since 1998, must employ every advantage in its arsenal. However limited it may be, O'Connell's experience as a starter could prove crucial in the early going. After their opener against a UCLA team that they have failed to beat in 20 meetings, the Aztecs face daunting road games at Air Force and Ohio State.
O'Connell, who appeared in nine games, completed 115-of-236 passes last season for 1,328 yards. He threw nine touchdown passes but was also intercepted nine times. The La Costa Canyon High alum lost his first three games as a starter but won his final two, going 33-of-57 for 407 yards and three touchdowns in victories over Air Force and UNLV.
"You're the guy now that everybody turns to, whether it's on the field or off," O'Connell said. "You want to be a leader to everyone on the team, and as the quarterback you get a chance to do that. It's up to you where you take it from there.
"It helps knowing that you're the guy, that you're the one that's been called on by the coaching staff. There's a lot of pressure with the quarterback position, and your teammates are looking for you to keep your cool when the pressure is on."
Mougey said he was relieved that a decision had been reached.
"I'm a little disappointed, but it's time to move on and focus on the team," he said. "Everybody wants to be the guy, everybody wants to play, but Coach did what he thinks is best for the team."
For those paying attention, the handwriting was on the wall, big enough and bold enough to emblazon a billboard.
And on the marquee? Kevin O'Connell.
San Diego State football coach Tom Craft, who made it clear from the outset that he intended to resolve the team's starting quarterback situation as soon as possible, swept away any lingering suspense yesterday when he tabbed O'Connell to start the season opener Sept. 3 against UCLA.
A sophomore who started the final five games of the 2004 season, O'Connell emerged the victor in a competition against redshirt freshman Darren Mougey.
"Kevin O'Connell, because of his experience in having started five games, is the guy that's going to get the nod," Craft said. "Both (O'Connell and Mougey) have big ceilings right now because they're young football players. They give us a dimension athletically, from a standpoint of both the pass and the run, that we're looking for. I'm glad that (the competition) was close, but Kevin is the one that's going to be our starter."
Though neither has set the world ablaze through the first two weeks of fall camp, O'Connell did engineer two touchdown drives in each of the team's first two scrimmages. After completing 7-of-13 passes for 46 yards in the first scrimmage a week ago, he was 11-of-22 for 111 yards and a touchdown on Saturday, an outing that included two interceptions. Mougey, who was sterling during spring drills while O'Connell was recovering from offseason surgery on his throwing shoulder, was 13-of-18 for 97 yards in the first scrimmage but just 4-of-8 for 36 yards on Saturday. He directed one scoring drive in the two scrimmages.
Nonetheless, Craft is not ruling out using Mougey in situational packages as the season unfolds.
"I would expect Darren to play a little bit every game in some capacity," Craft said.
Yet the ball clearly belongs to O'Connell, and not merely from a numbers standpoint. SDSU, which has not had a winning season or been to a bowl game since 1998, must employ every advantage in its arsenal. However limited it may be, O'Connell's experience as a starter could prove crucial in the early going. After their opener against a UCLA team that they have failed to beat in 20 meetings, the Aztecs face daunting road games at Air Force and Ohio State.
O'Connell, who appeared in nine games, completed 115-of-236 passes last season for 1,328 yards. He threw nine touchdown passes but was also intercepted nine times. The La Costa Canyon High alum lost his first three games as a starter but won his final two, going 33-of-57 for 407 yards and three touchdowns in victories over Air Force and UNLV.
"You're the guy now that everybody turns to, whether it's on the field or off," O'Connell said. "You want to be a leader to everyone on the team, and as the quarterback you get a chance to do that. It's up to you where you take it from there.
"It helps knowing that you're the guy, that you're the one that's been called on by the coaching staff. There's a lot of pressure with the quarterback position, and your teammates are looking for you to keep your cool when the pressure is on."
Mougey said he was relieved that a decision had been reached.
"I'm a little disappointed, but it's time to move on and focus on the team," he said. "Everybody wants to be the guy, everybody wants to play, but Coach did what he thinks is best for the team."
