HUNTINGTON, W.Va.—Doc Holliday answered one of the burning questions coming into preseason camp Tuesday afternoon by naming redshirt-sophomore Gunnar Holcombe the number two quarterback.
The position came up for grabs when rising senior Blake Frohnapfel chose to transfer to UMass after receiving his undergraduate degree at Marshall. Holcombe was in a position battle with true freshman Cole Garvin and neither separated himself from the other during spring drills. However during August camp it was clear Holcombe had a better handle on the offense than his younger counterpart.
“It is starting to sort itself,” Holliday said of the depth chart. “We’re not giving reps any more to the three’s and some of the three’s have become two’s.”
In the only open scrimmage of preseason camp, Holcombe erased any doubt that he should be the number two quarterback. Holcombe completed 11-of-22 for 151 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Garvin was 3-for-5 for 36 yards, a touchdown and a pick.
Incidentally, the same day Marshall named its backup quarterback, its former backup was named the starter at UMass. Blake Frohnapfel was named the starter for UMass’ season opener against Boston College.
“Over the course of my career, I’ve been really hoping for this. I’m glad I have the chance to start my first college game,” Frohnapfel told masslive.com. “It’ll be my first start, so there’s a certain pressure there. But it’s something I’ve been excited for a long time.”