The Griffon News

The Western football team has found themselves in a good but awkward situation when it comes to who will fill the quarterback position.

Senior Matt Landess, who has started for Western in the last two games, had missed two practices last week due to strep throat. The coaching staff felt that Burton was the best candidate to fill the starting quarterback position for the Truman game.

“It felt real good to be back out there,” Burton said.

Burton had not started the last two games prior to the Bulldog fight. Burton was injured during the St. Cloud game on Sept. 9, but has since recovered and has been waiting patiently to regain his position.

Landess is now recovering well from his illness, and the big question on everyone’s minds is, “Which quarterback will continue to start for Western?”

“If both of us play then that’s great,” Burton said. “We’re both pretty much different quarterbacks. That just gives just more for the defenses were going to be facing to try to prepare for.”

Partridge feels that Burton and Landess are both very talented and strong players in different ways. This should not be looked upon as a controversy or problem for the team.

“It’s not a controversy,” Partridge said. “We’ve got two options that can play well. It’s more a quarterback question.”

He feels that the word controversy sends the message that this situation is negative when really it’s how the system works.

“You lose your job because of injury or sickness,” Partridge said.

In both situations each player has stepped up to the challenge and pulled through for the team in big ways. For the next week the two will practice as hard as they can. Partridge will meet with the quarterback coach to discuss exactly which quarterback is ready for the game.

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