Sunday, April 04, 1999
Buckeye QB race to go down to wire
Bellisari, Moherman are even for now
The Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Last season, Steve Bellisari broke the wedge. Now, he's trying to break into Ohio State's starting lineup.
Bellisari, a standout on special teams as a freshman, is back under center this spring battling Austin Moherman to be the Buckeyes' quarterback.
“There is definitely a little pressure, but at this point I think it's the pressure to get better, not who's going to be starting quarterback,” Bellisari said. “That's why we're out here this spring.”
Bellisari saw most of his action last season on kickoff coverage. He flew down the field seemingly without any regard for his safety, knocking over defenders in hopes of pulverizing the return man.
He showed his talent, but he didn't get many chances to sit in the pocket and fire passes. Moherman, a third-year sophomore, threw most of his passes in pregame warmups, but he has a strong and accurate arm.
At 6-foot-5, Moherman better defines a drop-back passer. Bellisari is 6-3, but his mobility and being left-handed could add a special dimension.
They both have a long way to go before fans forget Joe Germaine, who led the Buckeyes to a pair of co-Big Ten championships, wins in the Rose and Sugar bowls and two No.2 rankings in the final national polls.
Offensive coordinator Mike Jacobs said he's looking for a QB who first and foremost displays Germaine's leadership ability.
“We're looking for a guy who, No. 1, is going to make proper decisions back there and not turn the ball over, and throw at a high completion percentage,” Jacobs said. “That's been the key for us at that position the last couple of years.”
There has been no timetable set to name a starter for the Aug. 29 opener with Miami in the Kickoff Classic. The QBs are getting equal reps this spring and coach John Cooper has even said the battle might go until the early part of the season.
Either way, Moherman is just happy to be getting a chance.
“It's kind of nice, actually,” he said. “For two years I've been kind of sitting on the side and watching the other guys go through this. I was just on the scout team down there, and nobody really paid any attention to anything I did.”
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