UNM quarterbacks B.R. Holbrook and Tarean Austin looked sharp during a windy Saturday afternoon scrimmage at University Stadium.
Unlike the spring’s Cherry-Silver game, in which the team was divided into two groups that played against each other, Saturday’s scrimmage was purely offense versus defense.
Head Coach Mike Locksley will take Austin and Holbrook’s performance from this game into consideration when he establishes a starting quarterback.
“It will be the QB who is able to drive the ball down the field and score points, as well as take care of the ball,” he said.
“Both guys had done that pretty well. Hopefully we’ll make a decision sooner than later.”
Holbrook impressed onlookers in the opening drive of the game by completing three straight passes. He capped off the 80-yard drive with a 25-yard touchdown pass to running back Crusoe Gongbay. Holbrook finished the drive completing six passes for 76 yards.
Holbrook, who won the starting job out of camp last season, spent most of last year on the sidelines after a knee injury left him unable to play.
Locksley said he does not think last year’s surgery will affect Holbrook’s performance this year.
“There are no ill effects of the surgery,” Locksley said. “It shows the toughness that he has.”
Holbrook took the next three drives of the scrimmage off, as it was Austin’s turn to take snaps.
Austin took the offense 66 yards down the field, but settled for a 33-yard field goal off the foot of senior James Aho, completing eight passes in the process.
“I’m feeling good. I understand more things,” he said.
Austin impressed not just with his arm, but with his feet too. He rushed for three touchdowns: one for six yards, one for 17 yards, and one for 48 yards late in the game, on a designed quarterback keeper.
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Holbrook threw four touchdown passes to four different targets, but admitted that he could have done better.
“I could probably work on my footwork, which is big,” Holbrook said. “I just have to cross the T’s and dot the I’s.”
The two quarterbacks had nearly identical numbers during the game. At the end of the 18th series, both quarterbacks were 15-23.
Austin threw for 162 yards, while Holbrook threw for 167 yards and had one interception.
Holbrook said after the scrimmage that the starting quarterback spot was still up for grabs.
“We’ll let the coaches decide that,” Holbrook said.
Both sides of the ball played pretty well on Saturday, but it was the impressive performance of the quarterbacks that stole the show. Austin said the offense won.
Sophomore running back DeMarcus Rogers demonstrated impressive running performance during the game. He showed that he can run between the tackles as well as catch passes out of the backfield, making defenders miss in the process.
