It is expected that Wildcat sophomore Dustin Thomas will inherit Chris Whitney's place as QB1 come the fall, but two highly-successful recruits are on their way to campus to compete for a spot on the quarterback depth chart. It is possible that one (perhaps both?) could redshirt or change positions before their tenure on the Main Line is over.
Chris Polony
Chris Polony, QB: Polony committed to play for Villanova in August, well ahead of many of the other commitments received this season. He helped his team reach the District 11 Class 4A final and is considered a pro-style quarterback.
The 6'3" and 210lb signal-caller was an honorable mention for all-state honors as a senior. He threw for 1,500 yards in both his junior and senior seasons and also accumulated 896 rushing yards (350 as a senior) in that time -- scoring 15 touchdowns and throwing only 4 picks. He played out of a multiple spread offense in high school, taking snaps both in the shotgun and under center.
He has a strong arm and impressed coaches during summer camps with his ability to make tough throws. He throws with zip, getting good velocity on the ball, including on deep passes.
He plans to enroll in the College of Engineering this fall.
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John Robertson, #11
John Robertson, QB: As a team that has seen it's quarterback be a major contributor to the running game almost every season (let's forget the Jankowski year, shall we?) since Marvin Burroughs took the starting job away from Joe Casamento, John Robertson just seems to fit the mold. The former QB at Paramus (NJ) is a true dual-threat who was able to easily take over games in high school.
As a senior, the 6'1" and 205lb player broke both the rushing and passing records at his high school. He ran for 2,023 yards this fall -- including 400 yards in a single game, and passed for 1,955 yards. Of 4,635 yards of offense accumulated by the Paramus team in 2010, Robertson can lay claim to 3, 978 of them.
Like Polony, he has worked out of both the shotgun and from under center, and has been an effective passer. He makes quick reads and is capable of fitting the ball in tight spots. While his arm is not as strong as Polony's, his legs can certainly make up for it.
As seniors, Robertson clearly put up stronger stats in high school, but his ability to be effective as a passer in the college game is questioned by some. If he does not work out at quarterback, he does have the speed and frame to potentially move to the defensive backfield.
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Up next in the series: The Linebackers.
Also, please check out the latest edition of Expansion Apocalypse, where I summarize the Villanova football situation.