Quarterbacks vie for starting position

After a 3-9 season last year, the IU football team is more concerned with improvement than maintenance. In most areas, that is. Coach Gerry DiNardo said he was pleased with the team's 250 yards-a-game passing average but wants to see fewer interceptions.\n"If you study the numbers, that's where the answer is," he said. "Our passing offense is fine, we threw for 250 yards a game last year. That's fine. If we throw 21 picks and 250 yards, we'll be back here talking about another 3-9 season. But if you threw for 250, cut the picks in half and improved the run game by 30 yards a game, our offense would be significantly better."\nSince both of last year's starting quarterbacks, Gibran Hamdan and Tommy Jones, will soon graduate, those numbers now depend on who will be at the helm of IU's offense next season. It will either be junior Matt LoVecchio or freshman Graeme McFarland, who are competing during the spring practice sessions for the starting nod.\nBoth quarterbacks were with the team last year, although neither played. McFarland was third-string but never got into any games. LoVecchio redshirted after transferring from Notre Dame prior to last year. While at Notre Dame, LoVecchio started and led the Fighting Irish to seven straight wins and a Fiesta Bowl berth. \nLoVecchio said that game-day experience may help, but he's just eager to get back out onto the field. \n"You know it helps, but that was also a year or two ago," he said. "It's also a matter of just getting back under center and feeling comfortable ... I'm just going to take it one day at a time and try to improve each day."\nDiNardo said LoVecchio's mobility gives him the ability to make things happen on offense.\n"I think if you look at nowadays' quarterbacks, there's a lot to be said about a guy who can get out of some trouble," he said. "I think (LoVecchio) brings some balance to the position, where he's not only a runner, he's not only a passer, but he brings both."\nMeanwhile, DiNardo praised McFarland's improvement.\n"I think if you looked at our offseason conditioning,Graeme McFarland would probably be one of the top five guys in every category as far as improvement," DiNardo said. "I see Graeme competing for the starting position."\nWhomever the quarterback is, he will benefit from the return of IU's top six receiving leaders from last season. Included in that group is standout wide receiver and junior Courtney Roby, who last year had the third best season ever for IU in receiving with 1,039 yards.\nMcFarland said he knows LoVecchio's experience probably makes him the favorite.\n"They don't want either one of us to feel like they've already decided," he said. "It's obvious that Matt has the experience, he's played in college games before whereas the last offense I ran was high school."\nMcFarland added, however, that he still thinks he could earn the starting position. \n"I'm definitely battling for the first spot," he said. "I'm going to try my best to get it. But even if it was decided, I'm not going to look at it any differently"