NIU football coach Jerry Kill said there is one type of quarterback he wants to run his offense.

”Just one that wins games,” Kill said after Saturday’s spring game. “That’s the bottom line. Hopefully, we can make all those correct decisions next year.”

With a new head coach and incumbent quarterback Dan Nicholson missing spring practice due to a shoulder injury, the idea of a battle for the starting job could be fun to watch.

Most likely, there won’t be a true battle. Huskie fans should count on seeing Dan Nicholson under center Aug. 30, in Minneapolis against Minnesota. However, for the heck of it, let’s look at other candidates.

NIU has only two signal callers on its roster with starting experience – Nicholson and junior Ryan Morris.

Morris started three games for the Huskies last season, but when he saw action his stats didn’t beat Nicholson’s.

Nicholson averaged twice as many yards per game and had a 62.9 completion percentage, compared to Morris’s 52.8.

However, due to his surgery in January, Nicholson won’t begin throwing a football until June. So there’s no guarantee he’ll be 100 percent in August.

The senior had an impressive 2005 season. Nicholson completed 62.1 percent of his passes while leading the Huskies to the MAC Championship game. However, he struggled in limited playing time in 2006 and while playing through injuries last season. The question is, can Nicholson finally take that next step?

Competition for the job could also come from DeMarcus Grady. The freshman looked impressive in Saturday’s spring “practice,” showing his versatility in leading the team with 118 yards rushing, including a 57-yard touchdown run.

But Grady also showed that he is a freshman, throwing an interception that was returned 40 yards for a touchdown by Josh Allen.

Freshman Chandler Harnish has also been taking reps with the first team.

There’s also the possibility that incoming recruit Brandon Rogers from Tulsa, Okla., could take over the system. But having never gone through a college practice, it’s highly unlikely the reins will be handed over to him.

Kill hasn’t said Nicholson will definitely be the starter, but if I was a betting man, there won’t be any competition for the job. Expect to see him at the Metrodome in four months.

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