Four downs with the quarterbacks

FOUR DOWNS WITH THE QUARTERBACKS

The depth chart (No. 1 and then probables)

James Vandenberg, jr., 6-3, 212; John Wienke, jr., 6-5, 220 (OR) A.J. Derby, fr., 6-4, 232; Jake Rudock, fr., 6-3, 185; Kyle Anderson, fr., 6-3, 210

The Guy

James Vandenberg had that exciting start at Ohio State in 2009 and then he threw eight passes in '10. The lack of information hasn't stopped TV types from crowning Vandenberg potentially better than Ricky Stanzi (ABC's Matt Millen) and potentially one of the Big Ten's best passers in '11 (Big Ten Network's Gerry DiNardo). Vandenberg is different, but kind of the same as Stanzi. Let's use his words to give you something of tangible value: "He's [Stanzi] a huge Tom Brady guy, I'm a huge Drew Brees guy. That'll explain our styles a little more. He's kind of standing there bouncing and I'm a little more live with my feet, staying loaded.”

Under the Radar

A.J. Derby is "all in" at quarterback. He might have a change of heart between now and 2013, the next time the job will be open, assuming Vandenberg takes it and runs with it. Offensive coordinator Ken O'Keefe compared Derby to Brad Banks, the Heisman runner-up in 2002 who guided the Hawkeyes to an 8-0 co-championship in the Big Ten. O'Keefe said not a quick, but bigger and stronger Banks. There is nothing bad about that statement. Meanwhile, unless Vandenberg stumbles or is injured, Derby will live in anonymity for the next two seasons and will be in competition with Jake Rudock in 2013. That's a long way off and making a lot of assumptions, but

Top Newcomer

True freshman Jake Rudock isn't out of the No. 2 talk for 2011. He's slim at 6-3, 185, but he's also polished. He's no newbie to big-time football, either. He led St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) to district, regional, state and national championships as a senior with a 15-0 record. He was 14-1 as a junior. He was Broward County (Fla.) player of the year, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel's south Florida player of the year and the Miami Herald's offensive player of the year. As a senior, Rudock completed 157 of 242 for 2,827 yards, 36 TDs and just three interceptions. He wants to be a pre-med major. He's a legit 6-3. In 2003, Drew Tate played backup as a true freshman. If Rudock is the best of the rest, he will be on the sidelines. Right now, it's wait and see.