Issue date: 8/23/04 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Stephen Haas Incumbent starting quarterback Andrew Harris and University of Wisconsin transfer Matt Schabert,15, will compete for Eastern´s No. 1 spot on the depth chart.

The competition for Eastern's starting quarterback spot features a new arm from the badger state, Matt Schabert, and the Panthers' incumbent play caller, Andrew Harris.

Harris, a junior, has taken snaps with the first team and is currently No. 1 on the Panthers' depth chart, but there is a talented veteran waiting in the wings while being acclimated to a new system.

Schabert, a senior, transferred to Eastern from the University of Wisconsin over the summer. He was a back-up for the Badgers who had time to shine when he threw a game-winning touchdown pass to beat the then No. 3 ranked Ohio State last season.

"We knew he was coming here after the spring scrimmage," quarterbacks coach David Carr said of the fifth year senior. "He's really only going to be with us for one semester."

Schabert comes from a Badger offense that was based on running into a pass-oriented offense and is still working to master the new playbook. However, the coaching staff knows it's just a matter of time before he has the new system down. Carr said it was the same style Schabert ran in high school and head coach Bob Spoo is confident in Schabert's ability.

"This is a guy who's a fifth year senior who came from a coach's family," Spoo said. "He's been in the grind in Wisconsin and he's coming along on pace."

When you match up the two quarterbacks, they each have valuable attributes to bring to the table. Harris is an athletic quarterback who can use his legs to make plays while Schabert is more of a pocket passer.

"Matt (Schabert) doesn't quite have the skills Andrew (Harris) does athletically,"Spoo said. "He's not as tall as Andrew either so he doesn't see the field quite as well."

Despite both quarterbacks being listed on the roster as 6-foot-2, when you see the pair on the practice field, Harris is visibly taller.

Schabert's arrival at Eastern has given Harris a sense of urgency to hold on to his starting spot, he said.

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