Bulldogs blessed with QB trouble

"After springball, Kevin won the battle," Pollack said. "After our summer night sessions, Kevin won the battle. Now we're in summer double days, and Kevin has a lead, but Julian and Jose are right there. If we were to play a game today, Jose would get the start judging on our most recent practice."

What makes the competition so compelling is each quarterback has certain strengths and weaknesses. Having said that, Linnell has to be considered the frontrunner because of his experience, an invaluable trait considering how steep the learning curve is for a high school football player transitioning to play for a program in arguably the nation's toughest conference, the powerhouse NorCal. Linnell started seven games last year, throwing for nearly 1,600 yards. The John F. Kennedy High of Fremont product also rushed for nearly 500 yards. The sophomore is a deadly two-way threat, able to attack defenses with his feet and arm.

"His only weakness if you want to call it one is his ability to understand coverages to the extent I'd like him to," Pollack said.

Edelman is what Pollack describes as a "good conceptual learner who has done a phenomenal job of learning the offense." The 5-foot-10, 185-pound freshman has tremendous athletic ability, a decent arm and powerful legs that can turn upfield on a moment's notice. Edelman led Woodside to the 2004 Central Coast Section Division I championship.

"Julian is not battle-tested at this level yet," Pollack said. "He hasn't lined up with the Buttes and the City College of San Franciscos. But he's smart and almost a clone like Kevin in that they both know what it takes. The only weakness in Julian I see is having him understand that sometimes the best play to make is not to make one. Sometimes you have to cash out your chips, and in football that means running out of bounds instead of forcing a throw, or taking a sack when necessary."

Avina, a 5-10, 180-pound grayshirt freshman, is built for CSM's intricate spread option offense. He's operated in an option offense for much of his career; in '03 he led San Mateo High to a CCS Medium School Division title. Avina makes sound decisions, takes care of the football and rarely makes mental mistakes.

"Jose doesn't have the arm strength of Kevin or Julian, so we try to roll him out and make him take three-step drops and throw short routes," Pollack said.

So what is Pollack looking for? Intelligence doesn't hurt. Neither does athleticism. A rifle of an arm is a definite plus. But most of all, a quarterback needs to be Ford tough.

"We want someone who's not afraid," he said. "It's amazing to see how a hard hit will affect a guy's decision-making. You can be smart, have a great arm, but none of that will matter unless you can take the hits. I want a leader and a tough guy."

The CSM quarterback trio said competition pushes everyone to play at a higher level. Still, you have three players competing for one spot, and there can be only one top Bulldog. There's nothing glamorous about junior college football, but make no mistake about it: The stakes are high and the competition cutthroat. For many players, this is one of their last shots at glory, a chance to extend their playing careers and earn a scholarship to a Division I or I-AA university. Judging by their comments, you sensed that each player knew they were the right person for the job, their competitive instincts revealed.

"The competition is high-quality and tough," Edelman said. "When we're at practice, I want the other guys to do bad. That's how serious it is here. If one of them messes up a play, it's unfortunate, but in the back of my mind I'm saying 'yes, he messed up, and if I go out there and can perfect that same play, I'll be on top.' I feel everything I've worked for has been to get to this point and be a starter."

Added Linnell: "I think the competition is good, but … it's hard to say. I'm the only QB that's taken live bullets, and that's a plus for me. It's a big jump from high school to JC football, especially in the NorCal Conference. The hits are a lot harder, and the style of running is different as well. You can't run as tall and you have to be careful who you're going to take on. It better be someone with a number in the 20s or lower. If you see a (No.) 60 coming, you better be careful in how you slide and dive."

Said Avina: "The competition is fun. I like it that right now no one has a spot. The best man is going to win. You have to stay focused because you never know what's going to happen. There's little room for error."

Of that, there is little doubt.