BOWLING GREEN — Going into training camp, Bowling Green’s biggest question centered around who would play quarterback.
Camp is finished and the Falcons are officially in game week, but they’re still asking the same thing.
At the close of business Friday, a Bowling Green spokesman said the program did not yet have an answer on Matt McDonald, the Boston College transfer whose waiver appeal was pending with the NCAA.
McDonald, a redshirt sophomore, petitioned the NCAA to be immediately eligible this season.
A number of transfer quarterbacks — including former Bowling Green starter Jarret Doege, who transferred to West Virginia — obtained waivers from the NCAA to play immediately in their first year at a new school.
During training camp, McDonald was in a position battle with graduate transfer Darius Wade and redshirt junior Grant Loy to be the starter for Bowling Green’s first game Thursday night against Morgan State.
Asked last week if he had any concerns about his first game as a head coach, Scot Loeffler’s first thought was the same as many fans.
“It’s just a unique situation with the quarterback position. It’s unique,” Loeffler said. “We need to see where the cards lay and how we’re going to deal with that, but it’s out of our control.”
Loeffler said the program hoped for an answer “no later” than the beginning of this week to discern the team’s next course of action, but he admitted BG’s situation before its first game is a rarity.
“It’s the first time ever,” Loeffler said.
No matter who plays Thursday night, Loeffler said all three quarterbacks progressed during the offseason.
“All three have improved,” Loeffler said. “We’re making strides. At least there’s improvement going on in that room.”
McDonald, a former three-star recruit, could start for Bowling Green if the NCAA rules him eligible. If he is not allowed to play this season, the Falcons will play the season with only two scholarship quarterbacks available.
At Boston College, where Loeffler previously was the offensive coordinator, McDonald redshirted the 2017 season and appeared in two games in 2018. He completed 7-of-8 passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns.
Wade is a sixth-year player who also has experience playing for Loeffler. Wade played in 22 games at Boston College, completing 55.6 percent of his passes, throwing for 1,091 yards with five touchdown passes compared to five interceptions.
He graduate transferred to Delaware for the 2018 season, but never played because of a shoulder injury that doctors believed would end his career. However, Wade recovered and obtained a sixth year from the NCAA.
Loy played in 11 games last season and started once, though the Falcons used him primarily as a runner. He rushed for 160 yards on 29 carries, and also threw two touchdown passes on 12 attempts.
BG will play its first Bowl Subdivision opponent on Sept. 7 with a road game at Kansas State.
First Published August 24, 2019, 11:57 p.m.
