BELTON — In the immediate aftermath of December’s semifinal playoff loss, Mary Hardin-Baylor knew its biggest task would be finding a replacement for prolific passer Kyle King.
Not much has changed in the months since.
“It looks like Jackson Tingler is the heir apparent coming out of the spring,” Crusaders head coach Larry Harmon said Thursday. “But if I had to tell you today who will take our first snap in the season opener, I’d say I’m unsettled on who our starting quarterback is.”
Barring any transfers who might arrive over the summer months, the battle for the starting job in fall camp will be a three-man competition between Tingler — a senior and last year’s backup — junior Landon Howell and sophomore Isaac Phe.
“All three of those guys competed really hard in the spring. The thing about our spring, though, is that the team drills are 7-on-7,” Harmon said. “Well, they all have strong arms, and there was no pressure so they had all day to get through their reads.
“They did everything we asked. It’s not like they did something that made you say, ‘They can’t do it. They can’t be the guy.’ It’s just that the spring wasn’t real football. It wasn’t Wisconsin-Whitewater or North Central sending six guys at the quarterback and a split-second decision had to be made about where to go with the ball.”
In order to get a better understanding of who can hold up under fire and guide the offense of a two-time NCAA Division III national champion that went 12-2 in Harmon’s first season in charge, the second-year head coach has one alteration planned for fall camp.
In years past, the Crusaders scrimmaged a team from Mexico on consecutive days — one scrimmage for the varsity and one for the junior varsity. That won’t be the case come August.
“This time, we’re going to scrimmage on two Saturdays,” Harmon said. “Both will be with the varsity because I want to figure out who our quarterback is.”
Harmon was pleased with the team as a whole during the spring and pointed to a few players who stood out.
Among those he praised on the offensive side was speedy senior running back Kenneth Miller, who rushed for 533 yards and three touchdowns to go with 10 receptions for 85 yards last season as the third-team back.
With do-it-all slot receiver KJ Miller’s departure, Kenneth Miller could be the guy to fill that role.
“Kenny Miller, who was our third running back last year, we’re playing him everywhere now,” Harmon said. “He’s kind of like our new KJ. He’s so explosive.”
Defensively, Harmon raved about junior linebackers Durand Hill and Johnny Smith-Rider, both of whom went through some growing pains early last season in their first year as starters before blossoming into playmakers.
“Those two linebackers, where they finished last season, they’ve just continued to take off from there,” Harmon said. “Durand Hill is so quick and fast. He makes plays where you go, ‘Whatever you just did, keep doing that.’”
Ends Dorian Pittman and Myles Terry also turned in strong spring performances after trying to find their footing in the rotation last season as freshmen.
“I was really impressed with them. They had great springs and grabbed the bull by the horns,” Harmon said. “The line and linebackers is always where you start building a defense. Coming out of the spring, I think we’re as talented there as we’ve ever been.”
Those players and others will get a chance to prove their talents immediately in September against a tough non-conference schedule that’s comprised of a season-opening visit to Wisconsin-River Falls followed by a trip to in-state rival Trinity and the home opener against perennial power Wisconsin-Whitewater.
