Whits’ Backup Qb To See Action
Whitworth College football coach John Tully, often noncommital, made a surprising commitment when it came to picking his quarterback for this weekend.
Although Scott Biglin has been moving the ball well and has good numbers, Whitworth’s sixth-year coach said reserve Jesse Parbon will get his turn at the controls this afternoon when the Pirates (1-2) play Simon Fraser University (1-2) in Burnaby, British Columbia.
“Biglin will start,” said Tully, who has used both quarterbacks in all three games this season. “Jesse will do a series in the first half.”
Biglin, a sophomore from Pasco, is coming off a game in which he went 17 of 28 for 200 yards and two touchdowns as the Pirates lost to No. 1-ranked Pacific Lutheran. In three games, he’s thrown for 347 yards on 29 completions in 44 throws.
Parbon, a sophomore from Aberdeen, Wash., has had decent numbers in limited play. He’s completed 8 of 18 passes for 131 yards and one touchdown.
Tully said he feels good about both quarterbacks, as well as the entire team’s depth.
“Right now, we have the personnel to play with everybody on our schedule,” he said. “Our focus is coming out and playing well. They (Simon Fraser) run the ball very well. Their running backs may be the best we’ve seen all season.”
The Clan, members of the NAIA and Columbia Football Association, are coming off a 49-18 loss to Eastern Oregon. They gave up 596 yards of total offense, including 377 on the ground. Whitworth won last year’s non-conference game against Simon Fraser 33-19 thanks to Damian Putney’s record-breaking 303 yards on 40 carries. Tully expects a tougher fight this year.
“The difference is they were younger on defense,” he said. “ Everybody’s back. We’re going to absolutely have to run and pass to be successful against them.”
Notes
Whitworth left on a 10-hour bus trip to Canada at 7 a.m. Friday… . Senior safety Danilo Viloria remains out with a broken arm, but could be ready for the Willamette game Oct. 14. Junior defensive end Shane Lyman is game-to-game with a knee injury. Junior defensive back Adam Lindley is out 4-6 weeks with a shoulder injury.