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Ash names Rolovich starting QB

By TIM DUMAS Chronicle Sports Writer

Montana State University head football coach Rob Ash Monday morning named Jack Rolovich his starting quarterback for the team's season opener Saturday at Texas A&M.


 Rolovich, a senior, started the final seven games last season, including MSU's two playoff games. Cory Carpenter started the first six games before suffering an ankle injury against Portland State.

"The biggest thing that we felt was that Jack had the capacity to make a few more plays," Ash said. "Jack just seemed like he had the capacity to stay alive in the pocket and maybe make a play and be able to deliver the ball down the field on an occasional basis more so than Cory. Although Cory can make plays, too."

Rolovich, who transferred from Hawaii before last season, played in 11 games last season and threw for 1,674 yards and 10 touchdowns. While Carpenter's completion percentage (62) was better, Rolovich was 5-2 as a starter.

Carpenter split his six starts.

Rolovich's best game was his second start against Idaho State when he threw for 323 yards and three touchdowns. The week before he threw for 302 yards and later became just the third QB in Montana State history to pass for 300 yards in consecutive games.

Kelly Bradley and Travis Lulay (both turned the trick six times in a row) are the others.

Carpenter won the job over Rolovich last August in what was also tight competition.

Said Ash Monday: "From a (completion) percentage standpoint they were very close, from the interception standpoint they were very close, from a leadership standpoint they were very close."

Ash also said that Eric Fisher, a sophomore from Billings, will be the place kicker and punter. The kickoff job, which is between Tyler Bolton, Michael Sweeney and Fisher, has yet to be determined.

As for the naming the quarterback, Ash said the decision was not solely his.

"It was a good, long deliberation by the staff," he said. "The way it works on my staff is the position coach (Jim Svoboda for quarterbacks) makes his recommendation to the coordinator (Dale Ploessl) and they forward that on to me and we go from there.

"The process was a fair, three-week evaluation. And they were very close. Both Jack and Cory are ready to play."

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