HUNTINGTON -- Although one of the candidates has established himself as the frontrunner, the Marshall University quarterback competition isn't done.
A Joan C. Edwards Stadium crowd of 6,107 fans watched redshirt freshman Mark Cann lead the Green team to a 44-8 victory over the White squad Saturday afternoon as the Thundering Herd wrapped up spring drills with its annual scrimmage.
At the helm of the first-string offense, the 6-foot-4, 237-pound Cann completed 16-of-21 passes for 181 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for a 1-yard score.
Cann led the Green team to four touchdowns, two field goals and one punt in seven series.
The other Thundering Herd quarterbacks -- junior Jonathan Garner and sophomore Brian Anderson -- split time between the Green and White squads.
The 6-4, 218-pound Garner was 16-of-35 for 164 yards. The 6-3, 209-pound Anderson was 7-of-15 for 42 yards. Both threw an interception. Neither threw a touchdown.
The White team had four punts, one field goal, one fumble and one interception in seven series with Garner (all in the first half) compared to two punts, one field goal and one interception in four series with Anderson (all in the second half).
The Green squad had one field goal, one fumble and one touchdown in three series with Garner compared to one punt and one safety in two series with Anderson.
"I would say he's a little bit ahead right now," Marshall Coach Mark Snyder said of Cann. "I don't think there's any secret to that. He's a little bit further along. That doesn't mean those other guys can't come on and go right by him. He has a lot of work to do still.
"I thought Jonathan came in and did a respectable job. Brian struggled early when he got his chances. Mark took us down and put the ball in the end zone."
Cann isn't claiming the quarterback crown after spring drills -- and neither Anderson nor Garner is ceding it to him.
"No, not at all," Cann said when asked if the quarterback competition is done as some experts and fans have suggested. "We still have all summer and camp. I think it's going to go into the first couple of weeks of the season to see how we perform when it really counts. It's not over by any means."
"The summer is going to be the second battle," Garner added. "We'll all try to get better and we'll all be competing against each other."
Anderson and another quarterback candidate -- junior Wesley Beardain, who watched Saturday's scrimmage from the sidelines and on crutches -- have the edge in college experience.
Anderson appeared in five games last season, completing 12-of-28 passes for 94 yards with three interceptions and no touchdowns. Beardain played in one game last year, completing 1-of-2 passes for 10 yards with no scores or picks.
Cann sat out 2007 as a redshirt.
Garner also sat out last year, but as a transfer from Georgia Tech. He misfired on the only attempt in his college career, which he threw in Georgia Tech's 38-6 home win over Samford in 2006.
HUNTINGTON -- Although one of the candidates has established himself as the frontrunner, the Marshall University quarterback competition isn't done.
A Joan C. Edwards Stadium crowd of 6,107 fans watched redshirt freshman Mark Cann lead the Green team to a 44-8 victory over the White squad Saturday afternoon as the Thundering Herd wrapped up spring drills with its annual scrimmage.
At the helm of the first-string offense, the 6-foot-4, 237-pound Cann completed 16-of-21 passes for 181 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran for a 1-yard score.
Cann led the Green team to four touchdowns, two field goals and one punt in seven series.
The other Thundering Herd quarterbacks -- junior Jonathan Garner and sophomore Brian Anderson -- split time between the Green and White squads.
The 6-4, 218-pound Garner was 16-of-35 for 164 yards. The 6-3, 209-pound Anderson was 7-of-15 for 42 yards. Both threw an interception. Neither threw a touchdown.
The White team had four punts, one field goal, one fumble and one interception in seven series with Garner (all in the first half) compared to two punts, one field goal and one interception in four series with Anderson (all in the second half).
The Green squad had one field goal, one fumble and one touchdown in three series with Garner compared to one punt and one safety in two series with Anderson.
"I would say he's a little bit ahead right now," Marshall Coach Mark Snyder said of Cann. "I don't think there's any secret to that. He's a little bit further along. That doesn't mean those other guys can't come on and go right by him. He has a lot of work to do still.
"I thought Jonathan came in and did a respectable job. Brian struggled early when he got his chances. Mark took us down and put the ball in the end zone."
Cann isn't claiming the quarterback crown after spring drills -- and neither Anderson nor Garner is ceding it to him.
"No, not at all," Cann said when asked if the quarterback competition is done as some experts and fans have suggested. "We still have all summer and camp. I think it's going to go into the first couple of weeks of the season to see how we perform when it really counts. It's not over by any means."
"The summer is going to be the second battle," Garner added. "We'll all try to get better and we'll all be competing against each other."
Anderson and another quarterback candidate -- junior Wesley Beardain, who watched Saturday's scrimmage from the sidelines and on crutches -- have the edge in college experience.
Anderson appeared in five games last season, completing 12-of-28 passes for 94 yards with three interceptions and no touchdowns. Beardain played in one game last year, completing 1-of-2 passes for 10 yards with no scores or picks.
Cann sat out 2007 as a redshirt.
Garner also sat out last year, but as a transfer from Georgia Tech. He misfired on the only attempt in his college career, which he threw in Georgia Tech's 38-6 home win over Samford in 2006.
