Fort Valley State's quarterback carousel still in effect

Because of injuries, three different quarterbacks have played for the Fort Valley State Wildcats this seasons. Typically, when teams go to that extreme, they don't have an opportunity to play in their conference championship.

But FVSU isn't most teams.

At 5-3 and 3-0 in SIAC East play, FVSU will play Albany State on Saturday for a bid into the SIAC championship, which will be played Nov. 14 in Montgomery, Alabama. But it's not yet certain who will start at quarterback Saturday, according to FVSU head coach Donald Pittman.

Two quarterbacks -- Otis Brown and Malcolm Eady -- have started a game this year, and they have taken the majority of snaps. A third -- Deion Perry -- took the field for more than three quarters against Florida Tech after Brown was inactive and Eady left injured in the first quarter.

Despite the rejuvenated health of all three quarterbacks, Pittman said he has not committed to one for Saturday's rivalry showdown.

"They make it difficult," he said. "Once I make my mind up, then a person might get injured or get winded and need to come out of the game; the person that comes to go into the game, they are playing with a ball of fire. It's hard to take him out of there.

"And you don't want to take him out," Pittman said with a chuckle.

Brown is in his second year with the Wildcats after transferring from Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls, Iowa. He was recruited by FVSU coming out of high school in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but Pittman said Brown had "aspirations to go Division I" and chose the junior college instead.

But after only one semester, Brown decided it wasn't the place for him. So he joined the FVSU program and led the team in rushing and passing in only five games last year. Despite being named to the preseason All-SIAC second team as a running back, Brown did not earn the opening week start in 2015.

Eady struggled early against Delta State, and Brown relieved him and then went on to start the following three games, rolling up 814 total yards with five total touchdowns and two interceptions. But then he injured his shoulder in the second quarter against Benedict.

Eady, a Swainsboro native who transferred after his time at Eastern Arizona College, took over for the remainder of the game and then started the next three games, registering 501 total yards, nine total touchdowns and one interception. And then he got hurt early against Florida Tech.

After a timely bye week during which Brown and Eady were able to heal from their injuries, Eady earned the start against Morehouse last week. But Brown saw plenty of action in the Wildcats' 35-3 victory, as he was mixed into the game plan starting late in the second quarter.

"Having them both is a luxury for us because one goes down injury-wise, and the other one steps up, and we don't miss a beat," Pittman said. "They compete all the time against each other, but there hasn't been any hostility towards each other, so I think they work well together."

Pittman described Eady as the better passer of the two and Brown as the more exciting, athletic quarterback.

"The fans like Otis a lot because of all the excitement he brings to the game," Pittman said. "He's a very exciting player. He makes big plays, and that's what he's all about."

But the difference between their playing styles is minimal. Pittman said both can run or pass, and because of their similarities, playing with different quarterbacks has not affected the flow of the offense.

"There's not much of a change," Pittman said. "You put one in, and you expect for him to be more explosive with running and the other one to be more explosive with passing."

Because the Wildcats have been successful rotating quarterbacks throughout the season, Pittman said he doesn't believe he needs to commit to one quarterback for a consistent familiarity. He will play whoever gives the team the best chance to win, even if that means changing quarterbacks during games like the Wildcats did last week.

"If it's not broke, don't try to fix it," Pittman said. "As long as those guys move the chains, that's what we'll do."

No matter who takes the snaps, Pittman said the quarterback will have to play well in order for the Wildcats to be successful in attaining their preseason goal: an SIAC championship.

"At any level, if you're quarterback is playing well, then you have a chance," Pittman said. "If he's not, you don't have a very good opportunity to win."

This story was originally published November 5, 2015 at 9:18 PM with the headline "Fort Valley State's quarterback carousel still in effect ."