Bear QBs divvy up workload

CONWAY -- Taylor Reed and Ryan Howard would both like to be the quarterback who takes the first snap and the last for the University of Central Arkansas.

They know it's better not to mess with a good thing, too.

"Both of us can win," Reed said. "So why not play both?"

Coach Steve Campbell has delivered on a promise made on the first day of fall practice that the Bears would play both of their experienced quarterbacks. Reed, a junior from El Dorado who spent time at Memphis and Arkansas before getting to UCA, has started both games but Howard, a fifth-year senior, has played in the fourth quarter of a 42-35 loss at Texas Tech and a 26-24 victory over Tennessee-Martin.

Campbell said he believes it would be a disservice to the team if one of them were on the bench for the whole game.

"Both of them are very capable of being the one and only quarterback at a lot of places," said Campbell, who is in his first season at UCA. "Whichever one at that moment we think can help us the most, we put in there and they've responded brilliantly."

It's hard to argue with that plan through two games. Both have taken turns operating one of the most efficient offenses in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision going into Saturday's game at Montana State (1-1), which is ranked No. 17 in the FCS.

Reed is completing 59.4 percent (38 of 64) of his passes while Howard has completed 60.9 percent (14 of 23), and neither has thrown an interception. UCA's 58 first downs rank third nationally, and it has converted on all 11 trips inside the red zone (seven touchdowns and four field goals).

Reed started last week's 26-24 victory over Tennessee-Martin and played all but one drive until UCA trailed 24-20 with less than four minutes remaining. Howard entered with 3:20 left and led a 14-play, 80-yard drive that was capped by his 14-yard pass to Courtney Whitehead.

"Just being prepared for when your number is called," said Howard, who started six games last year when Wynrick Smothers broke an ankle. "I learned that last year, so I prepare always knowing that."

Campbell said the quarterbacks are so similar that the offense doesn't change much no matter who is taking snaps. Both know the entire offense, so options for offensive coordinator Nathan Brown, who is also the quarterbacks coach, aren't limited depending on what quarterback is in the game.

Campbell said he realized shortly after arriving from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College that both quarterbacks are capable of playing at a high level.

"It just makes sense to be able to get both of your guys in there and let them help the football team," he said.

Campbell said he never worried about how Reed and Howard would handle the rotation. He's done it throughout his three-decade career, most notably in 2000 when he used two quarterbacks while coaching Delta State to a Division II national championship.

Reed said Brown sat both down to make sure they were on board not long before the Aug. 30 season opener at Texas Tech.

"Coach Brown told us that if y'all buy in, we can go a long way," Reed said. "I think that's the way we've approached it. We both push each other to make each other better,"

So far, so good.

Reed completed 18 of 30 passes for 157 yards and 1 touchdown and rushed for 66 yards in Saturday's victory, while Howard completed 10 of 17 passes for 94 yards and 1 touchdown. That production was enough to convince Howard, an admitted skeptic when the plan was first discussed.

"It sounds good when somebody says it, but you've got to trust your coaches and their plan when your number is called," Howard said. "Just be ready. Control your effort, and control how you prepare."

Sports on 09/12/2014