Real Competition Begins Next Year for Moherman

Austin Moherman has kept a relatively low profile since leaving Orange County for Columbus, Ohio, 18 months ago. The Ohio State Buckeye die-hards recognize him around town as “the young quarterback from California,” but they would have had to attend practice to see if he can play. In two seasons at Ohio State, Moherman has thrown only one pass--it was incomplete.

But Moherman, who starred for Mission Viejo and Capistrano Valley high schools, is about to come out of hiding.

Once the Sugar Bowl Jan. 1 against Texas A & M ends, the die-hards, the local media and the Ohio State coaching staff will turn their attention toward Moherman, a redshirt freshman, and Steve Bellisari, a real freshman. Moherman and Bellisari are the heirs-apparent to All-Big Ten quarterback Joe Germaine, who is playing his last game in a scarlet and gray uniform.

“It’ll be a big topic of conversation once our season ends,” said Tim Salem, Ohio State’s quarterback coach. “I’m still focused on this season, but everybody seems to want to talk about next season. I’m just telling people who ask about our two young quarterbacks, ‘No comment.’ ”

Salem understands why so many people are interested in the quarterback derby.

“We’re back to where we were before the 1996 season after Bobby Hoying left,” Salem said. “We don’t know who our quarterback was going to be. We were choosing between Stanley Jackson and Joe Germaine and people were worried. They were thinking, ‘Who are these new guys and are they going to be able to lead the program?’ That season, we won the Rose Bowl. I don’t know why we can’t accomplish the same thing next year with these two guys.”

The competition between Moherman and Bellisari unofficially began during the Buckeyes’ Sugar Bowl preparation. Both were given a week of practice to work with the first- and second-team offenses.

“This is where it starts, and it’ll carry over to spring and fall practice,” said Moherman, who attended junior high in Columbus. “It’s pretty even now. I think they’ll let us battle.”

The battle will heat up during spring practice, but Salem said he probably won’t pick a starter until the fall.

“Both are good players, good people and good competitors,” Salem said. “I’m looking forward to coaching them.”

Moherman admits Bellisari has certain advantages over him.

“He’s definitely more athletic,” Moherman said. “He’s just a phenomenal athlete. That’s why he played special teams and strong safety for us this year.”

But Moherman realizes he’s ahead of Bellisari in other areas.

“I’ve been here for two years doing the stuff, learning everything I can about the offense,” he said.

Salem said it has been pretty easy to tell Moherman and Bellisari apart.

“One’s left-handed [Bellisari], one’s right-handed,” Salem said. “One’s from Florida and one’s from California. Austin’s got more of a comfort zone. He’s been here two years and he’s very heady, very calm. Steve is just the opposite. He has a linebacker’s type mentality.”

Whoever starts at quarterback for Ohio State will face a brutal schedule. Ohio State opens its season Aug. 30 against Miami, in Giants Stadium at the Kickoff Classic. The Buckeyes, who return most of their offensive line and both running backs, have a week off before hosting UCLA on Sept. 11. They also play at Penn State, at Michigan State and at Michigan.

“It’s exciting to think about,” said Moherman, who backed up Germaine and senior Mark Garcia this season. “I knew there would probably be two years of waiting around to play. Well, I’ve waited and tried to stay patient. Now I’m looking at the Kickoff Classic and then I’m looking forward to playing against some of my buddies at UCLA. There’s a lot of big games next year. But that’s why you come here, to play in those kind of games.”

Salem doesn’t expect either quarterback to be intimidated by Ohio State’s daunting schedule.

“Football’s different back here,” Salem said. “Kids know what’s expected of them and those expectations are very high.”

Moherman hasn’t started a football game since Nov. 30, 1996, when Capistrano Valley lost to Los Angeles Loyola, 17-14, in the second round of the Southern Section Division I playoffs. Even though Moherman played in four games this season, Salem said Moherman didn’t really play.

“Going in and handing off at the end of a game is not experience,” said Salem, who wants Moherman to add some bulk to his 6-foot-6, 215-pound frame and improve his arm strength. “That doesn’t count to me. When you have to do it for real, with your team trailing, 17-10, in the fourth quarter, that’s experience.”

When Moherman committed to Ohio State in the fall of 1996, he knew there was little chance of gaining any experience until the 1999 season.

“You could see what the chain was,” he said. “I could do the math and figure there were three years where I could start.”

Former Brethren Christian quarterback David Priestly also committed to Ohio State in the fall of 1996. Priestly stayed around for a redshirt year, did the math and figured he had better chances elsewhere. Before the 1998 season, Priestly transferred to Pittsburgh, which is coached by Walt Harris, Ohio State’s former offensive coordinator who helped bring Priestly to Columbus.

“David saw Austin was ahead of him, Steve started to pass him and he saw himself as being third on the depth chart,” Salem said. “He still could be a good quarterback. He’ll have a chance to start next year at Pitt.”

Although Ohio State has received a commitment from another high school quarterback, Priestly’s departure left the Buckeyes thin at quarterback. Moherman and Bellisari are the only underclassmen quarterbacks on the roster.

“In a way that’s good, because they’ll have a lot more reps and a lot more opportunities to show what they can do,” Salem said.

Moherman probably won’t get that opportunity in the Sugar Bowl, but he still has a strong opinion about the Buckeyes’ fortunes this season. Ohio State finished the regular season at 10-1, but was left out of national championship contention because it lost to Michigan State. Florida State, also 10-1, will play undefeated Tennessee in the Fiesta Bowl for the Bowl Coalition Series championship.

“It’s going to be debated until there’s a playoff,” Moherman said. “The Michigan win helped ease the pain of the Michigan State loss. But we feel we should be playing in Tempe for the national title. The only reason is we lost later than Florida State.”

He’s not playing yet, but already Moherman is talking like a starting quarterback.