BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University Cardinals return 45 letterwinners and 20 starters from last season's record-setting squad, but none of those players are quarterbacks. In fact, LU head coach Ray Woodard doesn't even have a quarterback on his roster who was here last season – not even as a scout team player. The Cardinals' current situation is the primary factor in the team being picked eighth in the Southland Conference preseason polls, despite a wealth of returning talent at every other position on the field.
 
Although the quarterbacks have no returning LU experience, it is a situation Woodard is familiar with having started the program from scratch six years ago. His first step was to promote offensive line coach Chuck Langston to coordinator, then he added transfers Carson Earp (Navarro College) and Joe Minden (Stephen F. Austin). On National Signing Day, Woodard signed prep standout Brett Cox from Sachse, Texas. Prior to the start of spring camp, Woodard hired Ramon Flanigan to work with the quarterbacks.
 
"I've never been in this situation before, but for me personally I can't think of anything better," said Flanigan. "Coach Woodard has assembled a great coaching staff, and they have brought in some really talented players. Coaching this group of guys is a very easy thing to deal with because we have two great football players who are going to give us a chance to compete for a championship. For me, this was a dream come true because it also puts me back in the great state of Texas."
 
For the fans, and more importantly Earp and Minden, who have waited all spring, all of preseason camp and enter the final hours before the season-opener for Woodard to name a starter, they will have to wait a little while longer.
 
"Both guys have done a lot of really good things, but neither one has separated himself from the other," said Woodard at his weekly press conference. "It doesn't matter who we send out on to the field first, because the other one will be out there shortly after."
 
Minden ended camp completing 13-of-17 (.765) passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns, while Earp was 21-of-32 (.656) for 304 yards and two scores.
 
"The best thing for both Minden and Earp is they were able to come in early and learn the system," said Flanigan. "Their maturity level has really helped both of them because they are students of the game. Minden is probably the best pocket passer that we have, but he is also very athletic and can move around. He may have the best grasp of the offense out of the group. Carson is a freak of an athlete – big, strong, fast and throws the ball well. It's not common to have a guy with all of those tools. I also really like the fact that he is such a strong competitor."
 
Another positive about both quarterbacks has been their approach to the battle. Neither Earp nor Minden came to Beaumont expecting to be given the starting job, and both have relished the competition.
 
"It has definitely made me more prepared for the season," said Minden. "I think we've all had a good approach to the situation. No matter who is on the field at any given time, we are just trying to be the best we can to help Lamar win."
 
"Competition always makes you better," added Earp. "When you have other guys fighting for the same starting spot as you it gives you extra motivation to work harder. I think we do a really good job of pushing each other."
 
If the storyline at quarterback wasn't interesting enough, another transfer threw his hat in the ring during camp. Fullerton College product Blake McKenzie began turning heads during the first fall scrimmage and hasn't let up.
 
"Blake has a very high maturity level," said Flanigan. "He approaches the game exactly the way I as a coach want my guys to approach it. He never counted himself out of the battle from the start."
 
McKenzie was 14-of-29 (.483) for 125 yards during camp. In addition to LU's trio of transfer quarterbacks, they also added Cox on national signing day. A highly recruited signal-caller coming out of high school, Cox was considered a three-star prospect by ESPN.com. He led all North Texas quarterbacks with 3,066 passing yards and 32 touchdowns during his senior year.
 
-LU CARDINALS-