[bigboydan]

QB Joe Daily, who sat out last season after transferring from Nebraska, where he threw for 2,025 yards, 17 touchdowns and 19 interceptions in 2004, is currently listed as the starting quarteback for the UNC Tar Heels entering the 2006 season. However, he may be pushed by redshirt freshman Cam Sexton. Dailey is a 6-1, 205 pound junior; not sure about the numbers on Sexton. Which would you rather see starting at QB ?

[pags11]

descent athlete, terrible QB...won't trust him with my money (or John Bunting for that matter) anytime soon...

[onlooker]

Blue Ribbon Yearbook.

The biggest focus in spring practice for the Tar Heels was the competition between junior Joe Dailey (6-1, 205) and redshirt freshman Cameron Sexton (6-1, 180) for the starting quarterback job.

The battle ended in a dead heat, though that was somewhat by design. Bunting and new offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti wanted the competition to spill over into the fall, giving the two players the entire summer to think about the prospects of being a starter.

"There is no doubt that I was not worried about finding a starter in the spring," Bunting said. "I am not concerned about it.

"There is a lot of mental toughness in this game, and the position that requires the most mental toughness is quarterback. I have a really good feeling about both of these young men and I do think they can both contribute. It is going to be competitive until the end."

Dailey, who started 11 games as a sophomore at Nebraska in 2004 before opting to transfer before last season, is the more experienced of the two. He threw a total of 19 touchdowns and 21 interceptions in his two years with the Cornhuskers, completing 162-of-324 of his passes (.500).

Dailey is more of a scrambler, who uses his 4.4-second speed to create rushing yardage and passing opportunities.

Sexton, however, has better passing skills and is not necessarily slow afoot; he has 4.5-second speed in the 40-yard dash. The Laurinburg, N.C., native is still catching up physically, however, after he suffered a broken ankle in 2005 spring drills that forced him to have surgery that limited him through fall practice.

"That has held him back in some of his development, in terms of strength and conditioning," Bunting said. "Those are some of the things he is working on this summer, in addition to all the offensive mechanics of being a quarterback and running the offense.

"He is going to grow up."

Bunting doesn't discount the possibility that he will play both quarterbacks in rotation when the season begins, but Cignetti hasn't mentioned that possibility. The likelihood is that Dailey, because of his experience, will be the starter, with Sexton earning significant playing time to prepare him for the future.

"The one distinct advantage that Joe Dailey has is his experience," Bunting said. "He has been involved in ball games as a starter. He has played games and thrown touchdown passes in the Big 12. He probably has a little bit of an edge in some football savvy situations.

"He is an extremely hard worker and very bright. I think he has a great interest in leadership and will be a great coach some day."

[bigboydan]

looks like there might be a QB controversy here.

Sexton, Dailey might make a 2-man rotation

North Carolina coach John Bunting will meet with offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti after this weekend to discuss whether a change needs to be made in the Tar Heels' quarterback rotation.

Joe Dailey, a junior transfer who started the 2005 season at Nebraska, is competing with redshirt freshman Cameron Sexton for the starting job, but Bunting has said he would be comfortable with a two-quarterback rotation.

"I doubt that we'll change next week," Bunting said after practice Wednesday. "But I will talk with (Cignetti) as we continue to move forward."

Sexton was the more impressive of the two quarterbacks during the brief portion of 11-on-11 practice time open to the media Wednesday. He hit Hakeem Nicks and Jesse Holley in stride on consecutive deep balls down the sideline to Sexton's left, though Nicks dropped his pass.