Saluki football coach Shawn Watson’s plan to get his squad out of the Gateway Conference cellar will rest on the arms of his young quarterbacks.

After going 1-10 in 1994, the 1995 Salukis will have to go with a new set of quarterbacks, as last season’s starting signal-caller David Pierson and back-up QB Matt Jones were lost to graduation.

The new generation of Saluki quarterbacks consists of redshirt freshman Reggie Kennedy, Miami (Ohio) transfer Danny Smith and sophomore Chris Schullian.

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Kennedy is the front-runner in the race for the starting spot after consistent spring and fall practices. In his career at Pontiac high school, Kennedy threw for 4,482 yards while rushing for 983 more.

Although only a freshman, Kennedy says he is willing and able to be the man and lead the Salukis to a winning season.

I’m ready, he said. I’ve practiced really hard in the spring and the fall, and I think I’m ready.

I’ve got to recognize defenses more. In high school, they (defenses) don’t switch that much in a game. In college they switch on almost every play.

Those defenses may switch up on Kennedy, but the Salukis ball control offense using the running game as a compliment to the offense, rather than as the offense should allow him to stay out of harm’s way.

We’ll probably throw more, but we won’t be throwing deep too often, Kennedy said.

The number two man on the Saluki quarterback depth chart is Smith, a sophomore transfer from the University of Miami (Ohio). Smith leapfrogged Schullian on the list with a solid performance in practice this fall and may be slated for back-up duty when the season begins.

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Schullian, the third member of the Saluki quarterbacking corps and the Dawgs’ resident two-sport athlete, makes his first appearance on the gridiron roster after a season of pitching with SIUC’s baseball squad.

Despite Schullian’s shortened practice schedule, Watson said he is still looking for Schullian to contribute this season.

Chris has had limited practice due to baseball, but we’re looking forward to working with him this fall, he said.

Watson said he is pleased overall with the progress of his young quarterback staff, but said there are still more strides to be made.

The passing game is all timing and we’re still working on that, he said. We’ll still be working on improving even through the third or fourth week of the season. That’s just the way it is.

We’re definitely better at quarterback than a year ago.