Adam Hoover (Enquirer photo) | ZOOM |

        Entering the final days of training camp, John Leonard and Gino Guidugli were running neck-and-neck in the University of Cincinnati's quarterback derby.

        Leonard had the lead going around the final turn, but Guidugli appeared to overtake him during last week's intrasquad scrimmage as they headed down the stretch.

        UC coach Rick Minter announced the winner Monday.

        It was Adam Hoover, practically by default.

        Hoover, a 6-foot-1, 202-pound senior from Corona, Calif., will open at quarterback against Purdue on Sunday (2:30 p.m. ESPN2) before the first sellout crowd at UC since Nippert Stadium was enlarged to accommodate 35,000 fans in 1992.

        He won that distinction because Leonard was intercepted three times in last week's scrimmage and because Guidugli, the heralded freshman from Highlands High School, has a sore arm that prevented him from taking the snaps he needed to secure the job late last week.

Adam Hoover (Enquirer photo) | ZOOM |

        Enter Hoover, 24, a junior college transfer who started last year against Tulane and Houston and played in six games overall.

        “He does have the advantage over everybody in our system,” Minter said. “He should have distanced himself coming out of the spring, but he didn't. He was the forgotten soul coming out of that scrimmage until we went back and looked at the tape. He was the most solid guy.”

        Hoover completed 7 of 13 passes in the scrimmage for 125 yards and one touchdown, a 45-yard pass to Tye Keith. UC receivers also dropped three of Hoover's passes, in cluding one by Daven Holly that would have resulted in a 43-yard touchdown. Last year, Hoover was 53-of-103 for 665 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions.

        Minter could have made a bigger media splash by starting favorite son Guidugli in his first game at UC. But his decision stemmed partly from Guidugli's sore arm and partly from Hoover's experience, which should prove valuable against a veteran Purdue defense that was ranked third in the Big Ten last year.

        The UC coach did not, however, rule out the possibility that Guidugli will play against Purdue in a reserve role and even left the door slightly open for the freshman to claim the starting job if he produces an impressive week of practice.

        “If he's ready to play, we hope to get him into the game,” Minter said. “There is no plan to redshirt this kid. We're not going to play a kid because he's a poster child. We're going to play a kid because he deserves to play and he's going to help our team win.”

        Guidugli, who hasn't thrown a pass since last Thursday, said Monday that his arm felt better. He said he first developed the soreness in late July in the Tennessee-Kentucky all-star game and believes that he simply aggra vated the injury last week.

        “I'm not disappointed,” Guidugli said. “Adam's the experienced guy. No matter if I'm playing or not, it's still going to be exciting in front of 35,000 fans.”

        For Hoover, this season is the culmination of a long journey that began in 1995 when he was a walk-on at Brigham Young University. He spent 1996 and 1997 on a Mormon church mission in Houston, then returned to BYU in 1998. He then transferred to Saddleback (Calif.) Junior College before moving to UC.

        “This is my last year,” Hoover said. “I want to make it the best year and hopefully see all my dreams come true. I can't transfer anymore so I've got to make it happen here.”

        Minter emphasized that he still considers Guidugli UC's quarterback of the future. Whether that future begins Sunday in a backup role against Purdue, the following week at Army, or even next season depends on how quickly Guidugli develops — and how well Hoover performs.

Hoover to lead UC against Purdue

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