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Temple's Logan Marchi at the center of the QB battle

Marchi appeared to be the frontrunner in the spring, but he threw two interceptions in the spring game and didn't win the job. Now he and three others are battling for the sport during preseason camp.

Anothony Russo, left, and Logan Marchi, right, are vying for the starting job. Tommy Wyatt, center, has left the school and is now at Rutgers.
Anothony Russo, left, and Logan Marchi, right, are vying for the starting job. Tommy Wyatt, center, has left the school and is now at Rutgers.Read moreJESSICA GRIFFIN / Staff Photographer

While nobody would come out and say it, all signs pointed during the spring to Logan Marchi being the favorite to take over as Temple's quarterback and replacing four-year starter Phillip Walker.

Marchi, a 6-foot, 192-pound redshirt sophomore, seemed to be the best fit to run offensive coordinator Dave Patenaude's up-tempo style, a player with the mobility to make plays when things break down. He was also the backup quarterback last season, attempting six passes.

Marchi very well could win the four-way battle, but going into preseason camp, which began Tuesday, all four candidates appeared to have a shot.

The others are redshirt junior Frank Nutile, redshirt freshman Anthony Russo of Archbishop Wood, and freshman Todd Centeio, a dual-threat performer who enrolled in January and ended up having the best statistical spring game when he completed 9-of-13 passes for 110 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions.

Marchi, meanwhile, didn't enjoy as much success in the spring game, finishing 4-of-10 for 92 yards and two interceptions.

While he didn't lose the job with the performance, he certainly didn't win it.

"I didn't have the spring game I wanted," Marchi said before a night session on Wednesday. "You can't look back on that, you can only look back on the mistakes and try to improve those.

"I don't really dwell much on the spring game."

Marchi and the rest of the quarterbacks are looking ahead to a challenge that awaits whoever wins the starting job. The winner will make his first career start on Sept. 2 at Notre Dame.

Patenaude said on Monday that he would like to have the starter picked about two weeks before the opener. Temple has a team scrimmage on Aug. 19, and it's likely the starter will be named after that.

"It's not like I don't have an idea of what we're going to do," Patenaude said about the quarterback situation. "We have a general idea. We will let these guys run around initially during camp and then settle on a guy."

The quarterbacks appear to have good chemistry, something Marchi echoed. He said they are all trying to help each other out, but eventually one of them has to win.

"The competition is fun," said Marchi, who threw for 3,200 yards and 38 touchdowns as a senior at St. Paul Catholic in Bristol, Conn. "We all think we are the best quarterback for this spot, but that is a coach's decision. We want the coach to pick the best guy."

Since Walker played his final game in Temple's 34-26 loss to Wake Forest in the Military Bowl on Dec. 27, the quarterbacks have essentially been competing against one another. Every rep in practice has been watched closely by the staff.

Even Marchi admits that Patenaude and head coach Geoff Collins can't make the decision soon enough.

"We are looking forward to a decision," he said. "It will be a weight off our shoulders for the team, more so the offense can settle in with one guy."

Notes: Temple received two more oral commitments Wednesday, with both players announcing their choice of Twitter. They are Sean Ryan, a 6-3, 185-pound wide receiver from Erasmus Hall High in Brooklyn, and Rondell Bothroyd, a 6-3, 250-pound tight end-defensive end from E.O. Smith High in Storrs, Conn. That gives Temple 19 commitments for the Class of 2018.