Quarterback derby under way

At 6-foot-4, 314 pounds, you’d think a guy like Harrison Nikolao would be easy to remember.

But when former Northern Arizona quarterback Jason Murietta was told Nikolao was a former Eastern Washington University lineman – meaning the two played against each other in the Big Sky Conference – it didn’t ring a bell.

“I didn’t know that he played there,” Murietta said.

His former opponent might be one of the guys protecting him this season, though, as Murietta could soon find out. One of three quarterbacks vying for two Spokane Shock roster spots, Murietta will start tonight when the Shock hit the field at the Yakima SunDome to take on the Tri-Cities Fever in an arenafootball2 exhibition game.

Murietta will play the first two quarters, and Justin Rummell and Nick Davila will each play one quarter.

“We’ve set an initial depth chart and right now Jason is one and others are slashed at two,” said Shock coach Adam Shackleford. “It’s a very tight, highly competitive race.”

Murietta, who played at Northern Arizona from 2003-2006, holds the school record for career touchdowns, with 94, and his career passing yardage total of 10,717 yards ranks second in school history and sixth in the Big Sky.

“He understands what we’re trying to do here,” said Shackleford. “He’s making all the throws and picked right up on the system, and he’s just playing a little better than the others right now.”

But that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s earned the starting spot for the Shock’s March 30 season opener in Green Bay, and Murietta seems to know that.

“It feels good, getting to start (on Thursday),” Murietta said. “But both guys are really good and it doesn’t mean I’m the starter for the season. I just have to do my part.

“I’m going to get more reps than (Rummell and Davila), but I’m just going to go perform and move the football up the field and do my job.”

Early on, it made sense that Rummell might have an advantage.

Rummell played for Shackleford most of last season as the Shock’s backup quarterback behind Andrico Hines. In three games – including a July 28 start against the Everett Hawks – Rummell completed 69 percent of his passes, threw 13 for touchdowns and was picked off once.

“He’s doing real well,” Shackleford said. “He wasn’t in camp with us last year, so we’ve kind of started back from scratch. We are running a lot of stuff we didn’t run last year because of new rules (this year), and last year we kept it a lot simpler.”

Davila is the third guy competing for the job. He played at Cincinnati from 2005-06, where he tossed for 1,401 yards and eight touchdowns in nine career games as a Bearcat, including 277 yards in an upset over seventh-ranked and undefeated Rutgers.

He signed with the Cleveland Browns after college but was released during training camp.

“We’re excited to get on the field, watch what these three guys can do in a game situation, and see where we stack up,” said Shackleford.

Shackleford said he hopes the roster will be cut from 30 to 22 by Friday night but added that the task won’t be easy. Tonight’s exhibition should help the process.

“Friday will be a big cut day, that gives guys time to get their stuff together and move out – and then we will have space if we bring in other guys to try out.

“It’s not easy at this point to cut guys – if this was an easy job, we’d probably be in trouble.”

The Shock made a couple of roster moves on Wednesday. Lineman Brandon Keeler (Eastern Washington) was released while receiver Daniel Smith (Idaho) was traded to the Amarillo Dusters for future considerations.