With his leading rusher and a line anchored by a Penn State recruit back on the ready-to-perform list, one of the few questions surrounding Art Walker's North Allegheny football team was: Would there be a quarterback capable of stepping in and replacing a departed two-year starter?

For Walker, though, the answer was simple ... Justin Brozick.

"I didn't have a lot of concern because he's been around the offense and he's been around the system," Walker said. "He saw some time as a backup last year and he's a competitive kid."

Brozick, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior, has done an excellent job in taking over for Mike Locke and grasping the reins of the Tigers offense.

While most of the talk typically centers on standout running backs Alex Papson and Grant Huckestein, and one of the top linemen in the state, Tom Ricketts, Brozick has quietly posted some solid numbers.

On the season, Brozick has completed 37 of 74 passes (50 percent) for 594 yards and six touchdowns. And more importantly, he has led the Tigers to a 5-1 record, including the only perfect mark (2-0) in the Class AAAA Northern Six Conference.

The Tigers, ranked No. 5 by the Post-Gazette, play host to Pine-Richland tomorrow night at Newman Stadium.

A deeper look into Brozick's numbers show what Walker said has been most impressive about his signal caller -- rapid improvement.

Brozick connected on just 10 of 25 passes in his first two starts, and then tossed a pair of costly interceptions in the Tigers' 23-14 loss to Upper St. Clair.

"The first couple of games were tough," Brozick said.

But it has been Brozick who has been tough in his two most recent outings, going 15 for 23 for 253 yards and three touchdowns, while in the process, reaffirming what his coach already knew.

"He's one of these kids who doesn't make the same mistake twice," Walker said. "He had a couple of interceptions early in the season, and he has learned from them. He's progressed based on experience."

Brozick used a big stage to put forth his most impressive effort, completing 5 of 7 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown in a big 28-17 win at Shaler Area last week. The Titans came into the game with a 5-0 record and looking to end the longtime hex their rivals to the north have held on them for more than two decades.

The touchdown strike, a 69-yard connection with Matt Steinbeck in the third quarter, served as the backbreaker to the Titans' hopes. On third-and-18, Brozick found Steinbeck on a wheel route down the left sideline about 35 yards away, and delivered what Walker called "the best deep ball I've ever seen him throw."

"It felt good coming out of my hand," Brozick said. "Playing against a team like Shaler on TV [the contest was broadcast on Comcast], it felt good to step up in a big game."

Brozick's ability to step up in big games is nothing new. A standout third baseman, Brozick served as the cleanup hitter on North Allegheny's WPIAL Class AAA championship baseball team this past spring.

But while he's attracting Division I interest in that sport, it's football that currently has Brozick's full focus. Walker said its critical for Brozick to keep improving, and when thinking of the talented teams the Tigers could meet down the line, one can easily see why.

With Huckestein (567 yards, 11 touchdowns) and Papson (454 yards and seven touchdowns) continuing to wear down the opposition with the ground game, more opponents will be loading up the box to stop the run, forcing Brozick to be more of a playmaker.

Brozick, for one, doesn't anticipate it being a problem. With memories of a shaky start -- and his team's only loss -- now out of mind, Brozick hopes to continue to be an answer as to why the Tigers might be a legitimate WPIAL title contender.

"I'm just trying not to turn the ball over and help us win games," he said. "The coaching staff has us headed in the right direction.

"I think losing to Upper St. Clair was a good lesson for us. We needed a game like that to help us down the line."

Mike White's "High School Sports Edition" videos are featured exclusively on PG+, a members-only web site from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.