When Doc Holliday convened his first spring practice in 2010, there was a log jam at quarterback with barely enough reps to keep everyone warm. When The Herd took the field for the first practice of the spring Tuesday afternoon, it was a completely different picture. Only two quarterbacks took the field… Sophomore Eddie Sullivan and redshirt Freshman A.J. Graham.
“It’s a lot of reps. We’re either going to get tired or we’re going to get better and I’m sure Eddie and I want to get better. So we’re just going to come out and work as hard as we can,” said Graham.
Sullivan echoed Graham’s thoughts acknowledging the two young quarterbacks need all the reps they can get while they compete for the starting position.
With a lack of depth at the position Sullivan and Graham are able to get some one-on-one attention with quarterbacks coach Tony Peterson.
“It’s just one person attacking him and at most it’s two. Getting that one-on-one with Coach Peterson has been a great help,” said Sullivan.
Despite the two quarterbacks competing for the same job, they’ve developed a bond over the off-season. That’s not surprising considering they are the only two players at their position.
“Me and AJ in the off-season, we’ve become much better friends on and off the field. We hang out off the field and on the field; in workouts and in the film room we’ve helped each other out,” said Sullivan.
Both Sullivan and Graham agree if they can push each other they will only get better as individuals, and the team as a whole will benefit.
“We’ve grown more since last year. We come out and throw with each other and just try to get each other better,” commented Graham.
Graham and Sullivan will have a few days to rest their arms. Marshall’s next practice is Friday afternoon at 3 p.m. at Joan C. Edwards Stadium.