Cobbers Looking For Replacement At QB

Article reprinted courtesy of Fargo Forum and reporter Eric Peterson. Picture courtesy of Fargo Forum photographer Nick Wagner.

MOORHEAD - Concordia head coach Terry Horan doesn't think Alex Grove, Michael Herzog or Zach Kellen necessarily need to be the next Griffin Neal, the record-setting quarterback who completed his Cobbers football career last fall.

"The parts are around this focal position," Horan said at the team's annual media day at Jake Christiansen Stadium. "What I've been saying to everybody is 'You don't need to put the team on your back.' "

Grove, Herzog and Kellen are engaged in a three-way competition to replace Neal, a three-year starter who ended his career with a 24-6 record. So while it is yet to be seen who will replace Neal under center, the rest of the Concordia offense returns mostly intact. The Cobbers return four of their five offensive linemen, two dynamic wide receivers and a group of talented running backs.

"Whoever gets the job is going to manage the game and facilitate the ball to a lot of good athletes," said Herzog, a sophomore from Detroit Lakes, Minn. "I love competition. That's why you play sports."

Grove has the most experience having played in 11 games. The 6-foot-1, 200-pound junior from Willmar, Minn., has attempted 12 passes in his career. Herzog and the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Kellen, a sophomore, did not play last season. Horan said all three quarterback candidates have been evenly splitting reps through the first five days of fall camp.

"We've still got a lot of time to critique them," said Horan, whose team opens the regular season on Sept. 5 at home against the University of Jamestown. "We'd like to have that named as we go into that Jamestown (game) week."

Concordia opens its Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference schedule on Sept. 19, hosting rival St. John's at Jake Christiansen.

The Cobbers return arguably one of the best wide receiving tandems in program history in Brandon Zylstra and Jon Baune, both seniors. The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Zylstra had 77 catches for 1,240 yards and 12 touchdowns over the past two seasons. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound Baune had 41 receptions for 519 yards and six touchdowns last fall.

"They are probably some of the best in the MIAC and that takes a lot of pressure off a quarterback," Grove said.

"We're trying to keep everything as simple as possible," Zylstra said of working with the three potential starting candidates. "We're trying to be as consistent as possible so it makes the quarterback's job a lot easier."

Horan described Grove and Herzog as dual-threat quarterbacks with strong leadership qualities. Kellen, a former Fargo South standout, has good size and a strong arm, but isn't as agile as the other two running the football.

"Someone is going to take over and do a wonderful job," Grove said. "I have a great relationship with Zach Kellen, Mike Herzog. I think competition brings out the best in everybody. I think it needs to be there."