Quarterback race wide open

When Virginia opened training camp earlier this week, quarterback Scott Deke strapped on his chinstrap and ran the first plays with the first-team offense.

He can thank his birth certificate for the opportunity.

Virginia coach Al Groh said Deke, who will turn 23 in November, was given the honor based on his “seniority” over sophomores Pete Lalich and Marc Verica.

“We went in on a seniority basis,” Groh said earlier in the week, “and here for a little while probably we’ll stay that way.”

From using a two-quarterback system to finding a single option as the replacement for former starter Jameel Sewell, the practice play from the trio will determine the course of action.

“We have got an idea of how well that position has to do for us to be successful and however many [quarterbacks] it takes to do that … if it’s best done by one person, we will do it by one, if we can best do it by using two quarterbacks then we’ll use two quarterbacks to do it,” Groh said.

Lalich is the lone player in the mix to have attempted a pass in a college game — as a true freshman last year, he appeared in eight games and completed 35 of his 61 passes. The coaching staff, however, has been reluctant to peg the right-handed Springfield native as the starter.

“Pete’s got the most arm, that’s for sure,” Groh said. “Pete’s made a lot of improvement from the spring.”

Deke played 106 seconds and two plays last season against Pittsburgh after the result was clear and appeared headed to the business world until Sewell was placed on a school-imposed academic suspension.

“Scott had a real good offseason. He’s one of the hardest workers on the team. This is his fifth year so he’s got a pretty good understanding of what we’re doing,” Groh said.

Verica, who redshirted in 2006, could be a wildcard in the equation, having never been seen in game action.

“Marc has come quite a ways in the last year,” the coach said. “It’s clear that his understanding and grasp of the overall scheme is not as high as Scott’s, but he’s made a lot of progress in that area.”

More importantly than the order at this point, Groh said he likes the unit as a whole.

“Overall, this has been a real good group,” Groh said. “They’re fun to work with. They were all excellent during the summer.”

The intensity of the battle was expected to be amped up Friday night, the first time that the squad was allowed to don full pads.

Who would the players prefer to see at quarterback?

Cedric Peerman said taking a handoff from any one of the players in the mix was ideal.

Wide receiver Kevin Ogletree, however, took a different approach.

“Do I have a favorite? No,” the junior said with a chuckle. “I don’t know if that’s my place to answer that. Don’t get me in trouble.

“Coach Groh is our coach and he does a great job of monitoring all that.”

Extra points

This morning’s practice, which starts at 8:35 a.m., will be open to the public. … Groh said wideouts Staton Jobe and Cary Koch and tailback Hall Simmons were awarded scholarships for the season.