North Carolina State University Athletics
Amato Committed to Davis
9/22/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 22, 2004
By Tony Haynes
Raleigh, N.C. - Although backup quarterback Marcus Stone will likely see some action against Virginia Tech this Saturday, NC State head football coach Chuck Amato made it quite clear on Wednesday that Jay Davis is his solid No. 1 starter. After opening with a steady performance in his first career start in a 42-0 of Richmond on September 4, Davis threw three interceptions in the Pack's 22-14 loss to Ohio State last Saturday.
"It's Jay's job," Amato said during Wednesday's ACC Teleconference. "We're just going to go out and let him play. We're not the only team in the league that's playing with a new quarterback...or in the country. There are a lot of people in the country that are playing with two new quarterbacks and winning and doing well. Tennessee is playing with two freshman quarterbacks. Right now, this is Jay's job. We're not going to do anything different, believe me."
In two games as a starter, Davis has completed 28-of-46 throws for 267 yards, three touchdowns and three interceptions. The redshirt junior is finally getting his first chance as a starter after backing up Philip Rivers for two years. Amato and everyone else involved with NC State football are still going through some growing pains after being spoiled by the record-breaking Rivers for four consecutive years.
"We're not going to have the luxury of being able to have a quarterback play 51 straight games in four years like we had before," Amato said. "That's very, very unusual because quarterbacks are going to get nicked up. These two young men who we think are good quarterbacks who went until a week and a half before the first game before we made a decision on it. We're going to continue to work with Marcus and let Marcus get his feet wet. The more competition we have at all positions, the better we're going to be."
Stone, a redshirt freshman, got in the game for one series early in the fourth quarter against the Buckeyes. As much as anything else, he was sent on the field so that Davis could step back, take a breath and get a look at what was going on from the sidelines. Amato and his offensive coaches say they will continue to allow him to do that in upcoming games.
Stone did not throw a pass during his stint against the Buckeyes. Playing the entire second half versus Richmond, he completed 8-of-10 passes for 61 yards.
