At quarterback, BC can run option

At this point, does it really matter which of Boston College's quarterbacks earns the starting nod for tomorrow's Atlantic Coast Conference showdown against the University of Virginia?

Sure, BC coach Tom O'Brien would prefer to go with fifth-year senior Quinton Porter, who missed the last two games nursing a sprained right ankle. But, judging from what he has seen on tape, Virginia coach Al Groh seemed to believe any of BC's quarterbacks -- be it Porter, sophomore Matt Ryan, or even redshirt freshman Chris Crane -- was capable of doing the job.

Of that, Groh seemed certain. What was not certain, however, was Porter's status.

Although Porter showed improved mobility in practice this week, O'Brien said the availability of his 6-foot-5-inch, 232-pounder from Portland, Maine, would be a game-time decision.

''We've been very cautious with him, but still we're trying to get him work," O'Brien said yesterday. ''I think he's lost an edge. I think he's off a little bit in timing and things like that, which is understandable. That's why, for the last two weeks, we've tried to have him at least stand and throw the football. But that's only going to be corrected by playing, anyway. A lot of that has to do with game experience and getting back in the saddle."

Still, BC's quarterback depth seemed to impress Groh.

''Well, you can certainly see the depth between Porter and Ryan, and [Chris] Crane behind them," Groh said. ''You can see that they've got their quarterback situation in place for quite some time. They look like they all came out of the same factory.

''They all have the same size, they throw the ball accurately, and they're in a very effective system," Groh added. ''They've done a pretty impressive job in putting together a system that, once you study it, is very friendly toward the quarterback's decision making. It's very repetitive and so the quarterbacks, they know what they're looking for and, when they see it, they know what to do.

''I guess we're all kind of cut from the same mold," said Ryan, a 6-5, 221-pounder from Exton, Pa., who will make his third consecutive start if Porter is unable to go against the Cavaliers. ''We're all big, tall, [have] fairly strong arms, [and are] pretty intelligent."

And tough?

''Yeah, I guess, tough, too," chuckled Ryan, who showed his toughness by absorbing a crunching hit to the sternum from Clemson linebacker David Dunham and guiding the Eagles to their first ACC victory, a 16-13 overtime triumph over the Tigers Sept. 24.

''The more experience I can get, the better off I'm going to be, especially in conference games that are going to mean a lot and are important to the team," said Ryan. ''I think it's good that I've gotten in there and had success and have dealt with adversity. I think it's been very positive."

With so many similarly talented quarterbacks in the system -- and another on the way in Ross Applegate, a 6-6, 201-pounder from Marietta, Ga., who verbally committed to BC this summer -- BC's depth at the position would seem to bode well for the future.

''I think that's just a good job done by the coaches in recruiting and it's a testament to our entire team," said Ryan, who improved to 2-1 as a starter as he guided the 18th-ranked Eagles (4-1, 1-1 ACC) to a 38-0 nonconference victory over Ball State last Saturday. ''I think we're deep at a lot of positions and that's a reason why we've had the success we've had this year. We need that to continue in the future."

In the fourth quarter against Ball State, Ryan handed over a 31-0 lead to Crane, a 6-5, 220-pounder from Mechanicsburg, Pa. Crane, who completed 3 of 4 passes for 42 yards in his collegiate debut, directed the Eagles on a 12-play, 86-yard scoring march that punctuated the victory.

''We've got very skilled quarterbacks," senior wideout Will Blackmon said of Porter and Ryan. ''So whoever's in there is going to do very well. Quinton and Matt are really playing at a high level and we know what to expect from them. Whoever's back there, we feel comfortable with what they're capable of doing."

But, O'Brien said, his quarterbacks are not quite interchangeable. Not that it was ever his goal.

''It's the same thing if you've got two quarterbacks, then you don't have a quarterback," he said. ''You have to have a guy. You have to have a guy that you can hang your hat on. But I go back to what I said in the preseason, we're awful fortunate to have Matt Ryan in this program."

Despite not knowing who will start for the Eagles, Virginia seemed prepared to face a quarterback who was proficient in running BC's offense.

''That's a very positive thing for Boston College, too," Groh said. ''I'd like to be able to say the same things about our circumstances every year, but in this particular case, because they have all shown themselves to be effective, it really doesn't make a great deal of difference who plays."