Hillary, Childers could share QB duties vs. Furman

With eight days remaining before Coastal Carolina's season opener against Furman, there still is no decision on who will be the Chanticleers' starting quarterback.

And offensive coordinator Kevin Brown acknowledged after practice Friday morning that junior Aramis Hillary and senior Jamie Childers could share the position through the early part of the season until one seizes the job.

As for who will take the first snaps next Saturday, Brown said that decision will likely come next week sometime.

"No decision yet," he said. "Both of them have actually played really good the last couple practices. I think both of them have played well enough to be the starter, so we've got to make a decision who we're going to go with first. Both of them have to prepare like they're the starter this week."

Hillary, who debuted with the Chants last season as a transfer from South Carolina and saw limited action in five games as senior Zach MacDowall's backup, was the favorite for the position entering preseason camp. But Childers, a fifth-year senior who played tight end last season after coming into the program as a quarterback, has looked sharp over the last couple weeks after dealing with a sore throwing shoulder early in camp.

"His last week of practice at quarterback has been really, really good," Brown said of Childers. "And he's kind of vaulted himself kind of as the starter too with Aramis. I think both of them have done really well this week, and I think we've got two starting quarterbacks."

The catch with Childers, though, is that the coaches really like having his 6-foot-5 frame and athleticism available at tight end and receiver. They like the possibilities in play with him and senior standout David Duran operating in two-tight-end sets, causing matchup problems for opposing defenses.

So there has always been a sense that the coaching staff believes its best 11-man offensive lineup is to have both Hillary and Childers on the field together. But the fact remains that Childers has looked too sharp as a quarterback in practices and scrimmages to ignore. So it seems likely both will get their shot leading the offense next Saturday.

"Probably so. I think so," Brown said. "Until one of them separates themself in a game, but it might be a thing where one is starting and struggles a little bit and we'll throw the other one in there and go. It's a good problem to have, I think, for us because we've got two guys I think we can win with."

| Ryan Young, ryoung@thesunnews.com

"No decision yet," he said. "Both of them have actually played really good the last couple practices. I think both of them have played well enough to be the starter, so we've got to make a decision who we're going to go with first. Both of them have to prepare like they're the starter this week."

Hillary, who debuted with the Chants last season as a transfer from South Carolina and saw limited action in five games as senior Zach MacDowall's backup, was the favorite for the position entering preseason camp. But Childers, a fifth-year senior who played tight end last season after coming into the program as a quarterback, has looked sharp over the last couple weeks after dealing with a sore throwing shoulder early in camp.

"His last week of practice at quarterback has been really, really good," Brown said of Childers. "And he's kind of vaulted himself kind of as the starter too with Aramis. I think both of them have done really well this week, and I think we've got two starting quarterbacks."

The catch with Childers, though, is that the coaches really like having his 6-foot-5 frame and athleticism available at tight end and receiver. They like the possibilities in play with him and senior standout David Duran operating in two-tight-end sets, causing matchup problems for opposing defenses.

So there has always been a sense that the coaching staff believes its best 11-man offensive lineup is to have both Hillary and Childers on the field together. But the fact remains that Childers has looked too sharp as a quarterback in practices and scrimmages to ignore. So it seems likely both will get their shot leading the offense next Saturday.

"Probably so. I think so," Brown said. "Until one of them separates themself in a game, but it might be a thing where one is starting and struggles a little bit and we'll throw the other one in there and go. It's a good problem to have, I think, for us because we've got two guys I think we can win with."

| Ryan Young, ryoung@thesunnews.com