Even at quarterback, talent sometimes beats experience

Varsity quarterback is probably the most difficult position to play in high school athletics.

Now try it as a sophomore.

It's a spot designed for experience in a sport suited for the same. Emotionally, mentally and physically, it takes time to develop.

In football it's a common belief that you win with seniors. As tough as it sounds to win with younger quarterbacks, many area teams are attempting to do just that.

Of the 27 DuPage-area teams, 18 start non-senior quarterbacks. Eight of those teams start sophomores.

While nerves surely rattle the players, it's even a little scary for their coaches.

"Yeah, it can be scary," said Naperville North coach Larry McKeon, who started Greg Wunderlich as a freshman in the 2001 playoffs and watched him grow into one of the state's top signalcallers.

"You've got to watch the temptation of trying to put too much on them," he said. "You see how much talent they have but you don't want to overwhelm them."

Coming into this season Downers Grove South coach John Belskis returned his starting quarterback, a senior, and a junior who led last year's sophomore team to an unbeaten record.

But when Chandler Whitmer moved in from Georgia, Belskis found his new starter -- even though he was only a sophomore.

The bold move has paid off during a 6-0 start. Experience elsewhere, including with a trio of third-year starters on defense, is a huge help.

No matter how much help there is, though, it's up to the quarterback himself to handle the pressure. Belskis can't say enough about the positive impact Whitmer has made to the offense.

"He doesn't play like a sophomore," Belskis said. "He's got some confidence and some moxie. His upside is so big, he just keeps getting better and better."

Sophomores often plug into a lineup because there are no elder alternatives. Other times, like with Whitmer, he's simply the best.

In many cases sophomores play to build for the future. But for teams like Downers South and Hinsdale Central, the future is now.

The Red Devils also had a returning starter in Zach Leathers, but shoulder surgery limited his comeback. In stepped sophomore John Whitelaw, an athletic play-maker who has led the team to five straight wins and an inside track to the West Suburban Silver title.

"Our philosophy is to play the best, most capable athlete at any position without regard for year in school," said Red Devils coach Mike DiMatteo. "John was that and, to this point, more."

That's not to say there aren't growing pains.

As a sophomore last season Waubonsie Valley's Tyler Castro won a three-way competition for the starting quarterback spot as the Warriors posted a 5-4 record. A limited number of playoff points, however, kept them out of the postseason.

This season Castro and the Warriors are off to a 4-2 start and are in the midst of a three-game winning streak. The expectation levels have risen along with Castro's rapid development.

"We thought he could develop into something special over the next two years," said Warriors coach Paul Murphy. "Why wait to start to develop him as a junior? Rather than having a junior quarterback with no experience, we have a junior quarterback with nine games as a sophomore."

Still, it's tough to bite the bullet and go with youth in the spot you can least afford young mistakes.

Sometimes it's a necessity, sometimes it's a deserved promotion.

Never is it a sure thing.