Georgetown Football Head Coach Bob Benson has pushed back naming a starting quarterback until this weekend, after the team scrimmages against Shepherd College, a highly-ranked Division II team Saturday. The spot was left vacant after Sean Peterson’s graduation in the spring.
Senior David Paulus, junior Morgan Booth and sophomore Drew Crawford are all vying for the position that, according to Benson, is still wide open.
“My decision will be made based on last spring’s practice and fall training,” Benson said. “All three players have been taking equal reps.”
“I prepared all spring and summer for this quarterback race,” said Crawford. “It’s gone a lot better than I thought it would. [Booth and Paulus] are my best friends on the team and we’ve gotten a lot closer. We each have certain strengths and weaknesses, and we can ask each other for help. It’s like constructive criticism.”
The Hoyas open their season against Lehigh in Bethlehem, Pa. on Sept. 7. Benson had originally hoped to name a quarterback this week, but decided to take more time.
“There wasn’t any pressing need [to name a quarterback],” he said. “We’ve got plenty of time, so we want to be really careful when making our decision.”
Crawford says he is unaffected by the delay. “We only get one week to prepare for a game anyway … and the coach has promised us that we’ll know by Sunday,” he said. “At this point not knowing actually helps me because it keeps me focused and playing hard.”
Last year’s starting quarterback Sean Peterson has found success in a professional league. Peterson debuted on May 22 with the Roanoke Steam, a team in the Arena Football League’s minor league, the AFL2. He started one game for the Steam and played in three others, including a win over the Rochester Brigade in which he completed 19 of 29 passes and was named Offensive MVP of the game.
As for the current quarterback race, starting is not Crawford’s number one priority this season.
“It’s not more important to me than winning. I want the best quarterback to play, the one who can help us win the most games,” he said.
Paulus and Booth could not be reached for comment.
