Tiller gets first nod at QB, but JUCO transfer sports big numbers

AMES - It's been years since Iowa State has gone into a football season with this kind of uncertainty at the quarterback position.

It's unsettling and exciting at the same time.

“I'm looking forward to it,” linebacker A.J. Klein said. “It's going to be a fun spring ball to see them battle.”

Spring practice opened Tuesday with junior Jerome Tiller atop the depth chart.

His main competition for the job will be from junior college transfer Steele Jantz, who comes to ISU with the expectation of playing right away. Jantz combined for 3,676 total yards and 37 touchdowns last season at City College of San Francisco.

Tiller has started three games in two seasons as Austen Arnaud's backup but hasn't shown the consistency to separate himself as the no-doubt-about-it No. 1. The competition could stretch into preseason camp.

“You'd like to leave spring drills with a guy you know is your No. 1,” Coach Paul Rhoads said. “There won't be any panic if we don't.”

Sophomore James Capello and red-shirt freshman Jared Barnett will get token looks at leading the offense, but this figures to be a two-horse race.

“Whoever it turns out being we are going to be fine,” receiver Darius Darks said. “But it's definitely going to be exciting to see who finishes on top.”

Teammates and coaches are hoping the competition brings out the best in Tiller.

“By Steele being here, that's going to bring out the best in Jerome,” Darks said. “He's intense. Both of them are. There's no games out there. No more playing around when it's go time.”

Tiller wasn't available for interviews Tuesday.

Jantz, one of four players who enrolled in January, has lofty expectations placed on him. Seneca Wallace was ISU's last junior college transfer to start at quarterback and also came from California.

Rhoads said Jantz has blended in well with his teammates.

“I try to work my hardest,” Jantz said. “I showed up the first day and put my best foot forward. I just focus on what I can control, and that's being the best quarterback I can be.”

The 6-3, 216-pounder passed for 3,075 yards and 23 touchdowns last season.

But until Tuesday, all he'd done in cardinal and gold was film work and 7-on-7 passing drills in shorts and a T-shirt.

“The guy looks good, but you can't really say how good until there's a front seven in front of him and guys in his face,” cornerback Leonard Johnson said. “Then you can tell.”

The Cyclones averaged only 21.7 points a game in 2010, next to last in the Big 12.

Arnaud started 34 games, and his name is all over ISU's record books. Still, Rhoads wants more from whoever is under center to get the team back to the postseason. The Cyclones finished 5-7 last year following a 7-6 finish and Insight Bowl victory in the coach's first season.

“You look across the county, any program that's an upstart has a guy that's producing and performing at the quarterback position,” Rhoads said.

“We will be no different. We have to get better play if the program is going to move forward.”

It would be easy for Tiller to feel threatened by Jantz.

But the two have tried to work together to better themselves, regardless of who's taking reps with the first team.

“As quarterbacks that's the nature of the game,” Jantz said. “There's going to be competition.

“Everyone wants to be the starter. That's not going to keep us from getting along. It's what football is and we understand that.”

2011 Cyclone outlook

Coach: Paul Rhoads (third season, 12-13)

Last season: 5-7 overall, 3-5 in Big 12

Returning starters: OL Kelechi Osemele, OL Hayworth Hicks, OL Brayden Burris, WR Darius Reynolds, WR Josh Lenz, WR Darius Darks; DL Patrick Neal, DL Stephen Ruempolhamer, LB A.J. Klein, LB Jake Knott, DB Leonard Johnson, LB Jeremy Reeves, TB Ter'Ran Benton, K Grant Mahoney, Long snapper Dakota Zimmerman

Spring game: April 16, 2 p.m.

Schedule: Sept. 3 - Northern Iowa, TBA; Sept. 10 - Iowa, TBA; Sept. 16 - at Connecticut, 7 p.m. (ESPN or ESPN2); Oct. 1 - Texas, TBA; Oct. 8 - at Baylor, TBA; Oct. 15 - at Missouri, TBA; Oct. 22 - Texas A&M, TBA; Oct. 29 - at Texas Tech, TBA; Nov. 5 - Kansas, TBA; Nov. 12 - at Oklahoma, TBA; Nov. 19 - Oklahoma State, TBA; Nov. 26 - at Kansas State, TBA