FAU quarterback Melvin German throws a ball at practice last week. (Owl Access Photo)
Still in the hunt
Updated: FAU coach Carl Pelini said quarterback Melvin German is still in a battle to be the Owls' starting quarterback that hasn't excluded anyone.
Originally published on
8/12/2012
by
Marcus Nelson
BOCA RATON - Roughly half of Florida Atlantic's training camp is in the books and Owls coach Carl Pelini has yet to determine who his starting quarterback will be for the opener vs. Wagner on Aug. 31.
In fact, Pelini said on Friday, no one has been counted out of the competition and that he considers it still to be a four-way race as he considers Graham Wilbert, Stephen Curtis, Melvin German and Nick Bracewell to all still be in the hunt.
Wilbert and Curtis are taking about the same number of snaps and could be considered the leaders based upon the time spent running the first-team offense ahead of German and Bracewell, who appears to be fourth in the race.
"Those two (Wilbert and Curtis) are battling each other, but the quarterback race is still open,” Pelini said. “In fact, it's really open to four. They are all in it. They are all doing good things - including Bracewell.
Pelini also addressed German's eligibility, which has been the subject of speculation since he didn't arrive for summer school. Pelini said German is still awaiting clearance, but there are no major problems with German's transcript – only that he arrived late, so the process to have him cleared for competition started late as well.
“It's ongoing,” Pelini said of German's path to receive final clearance. “Right now his transcript is with the registrar's office and that happens to every junior college player. They look at different majors and they want to see progress towards a degree. It's the same for (other junior college players), but those guys were here in the summer, so the lag time didn't matter. It's nothing unique and we should have a final ruling this week. ...I have optimism.”
After Sunday's practice Pelini told reporters that German's status could actually come sooner than that.
"“It has to go through the university and I would say 48 to 72 hours for the final answers," he said.