QB Jarin Morikawa may start for Jackson State for rest of season

JSU QB Jarin Morikawa (15) is competing for the Tigers’ starting quarterback job with Jordan Williams. (Photo: File photo)

The quarterback competition between Jarin Morikawa and Jordan Williams may come down to the wire, Jackson State interim coach Derrick McCall said.

“I’ve been enjoying these practices, watching these guys compete and Morikawa is back on the field and looking great, and Jordan is looking great,” McCall said at his weekly press conference on Monday.”It’s probably going to come down to a game-day decision on which one of these guys we’re going to go with.”

JSU (3-6, 3-4 SWAC) will face Prairie View A&M (7-2, 7-1), which sits in second place in the SWAC West, at 4 p.m. Saturday.

The competition came down to these two after McCall announced LaMontiez Ivy, who was the team’s primary starter, would sit out the remainder of the season to nurse an injured ankle.

Morikawa is the one with the starting experience, as he started against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Ivy originally injured his ankle the week before against Alabama A&M.Williams played a relief role against Alabama State after Ivy re-aggravated his ankle injury.

Morikawa, who sat out the Alabama State game with a concussion, is the more natural passer.

“Jarin is a little ahead of the curve right now because he understands the offense a little bit more,” McCall said.

McCall said Morikawa hasn’t shown any signs of rust after sitting out a week with the concussion.

Williams represents the more mobile option. No matter who starts, McCall says they’ll both receive playing time.

“We’re definitely going to use both of them,” McCall said, “because one presents talents the other one doesn’t.”

The interim coach, whose record now stands at 2-2, said Ivy will likely make the trip when the team faces the Panthers on Saturday.

“LaMontiez is doing fine,” McCall said. “Right now he’s taking more of a leadership role and making sure guys are where they need to be in the weight room and in the film room studying … He’ll probably go on this trip with us to help the quarterbacks on the sideline and to see things they really need to see in order to help them on the field.”

via QB competition still going at Jackson State.