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Thursday, September 23, 1999 By Ray Fittipaldo, Post-Gazette Sports Writer
The WPIAL, long the nation's supplier of professional and college quarterbacks, has three alumni starting in NCAA Division I football. When Syracuse and West Virginia meet at the Carrier Dome Saturday afternoon, two of them will be starting and a backup will see plenty of action.
West Virginia senior quarterback Marc Bulger is a three-year starter who holds most of the Mountaineers' passing records. The Central Catholic High School product is in the mold of the old-style Western Pennsylvania quarterback. His release has been compared to fellow Central Catholic grad Dan Marino, his accuracy, with the exception of last week's four-interception performance at Maryland, is without peer.
Two of Western Pennsylvania's new wave quarterbacks are at Syracuse University. Butler High School's Troy Nunes has been the Orangemen's starter for the first three games. But Woodland Hills High School graduate Madei Williams has been splitting time with Nunes and could get the start Saturday after a strong showing in the fourth quarter of an 18-13 loss to Michigan last week.
The other WPIAL quarterback starting in Division I is North Allegheny graduate Mike McMahon, who is in his third year as a starter at Rutgers, also of the Big East Conference.
Nunes, a redshirt freshman, and Williams, a redshirt sophomore, are typical Syracuse quarterbacks -- they can run the option. But they also have the ability to throw downfield.
"I wouldn't necessarily categorize us as running quarterbacks, but we are the new mold of quarterbacks who can beat you with their arm and legs," said Williams, a Swissvale resident. "That's what coaches are looking for these days. We have to use our strengths."
Nunes, 6 feet, 163 pounds, and Williams, 6-3, 203, are the first WPIAL quarterbacks to play the position at Syracuse. Syracuse Coach Paul Pasqualoni came close to landing a third Western Pa. quarterback to his roster last winter, but Perry's Rod Rutherford chose Pitt over the Orangemen and Penn State.
"We always enjoy recruiting Pittsburgh," Pasqualoni said. "We've had some great players over the years from Pittsburgh. We like to recruit there as much as we can. Football is important in Pittsburgh. Troy and Madei came from two quality high school programs. It's a credit to Pittsburgh, it's a credit to their high school coaches and it's a credit to their families. They're two great kids."
Nunes was not highly recruited. Only Syracuse and Boston College offered scholarships. When Pitt Coach Walt Harris was asked about Nunes this week, he did not know Nunes played at Butler or that he was from the area.
"To be honest," Harris said. "I did not know that much about him."
West Virginia Coach Don Nehlen certainly is aware of the tandem this week. He has to come up with a game plan to stop the talented duo.
"I like them both," Nehlen said. "They're a handful. They're athletic, they can run the option. When the ball is in their hands, they're like tailbacks. They're excellent. The little one [Nunes] can fly."
Pasqualoni said he does not name his starter until game day. Nunes has been getting two series to every one for Williams. But that changed in the fourth quarter Saturday when Nunes was ineffective. Williams played the final two series and drove to the Michigan 9 in the waning seconds, but his pass on fourth-and-4 to Pat Woodcock in the end zone fell short.
"That definitely shows they have confidence in me," Williams said. "When the game was on the line, they put the game on my shoulders. That definitely boosted my confidence level."
So while Nunes and Williams duel for the starting job in upstate New York, Bulger has proven the old-style Western Pa. quarterback is not out of style. Bulger could be the next quarterback from the WPIAL to make it in the NFL.
Bulger (6-3, 210), who does not have the mobility of a Nunes or Williams, does have the passing skills and savvy pro scouts are looking for. Some scouting services expect him to be taken somewhere in the top three rounds in the NFL draft next spring.
"Marc is different. He is more of a passer," Nehlen said. "Marc will beat you with his arm. He will beat you with his head. He won't get you beat with his feet, but he won't beat you with his feet, either. Western Pennsylvania certainly is well represented in this game."
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