By Bob Weiner for UAlbany Athletics
ALBANY, N.Y. – “One” is just a number for University at Albany quarterback Will Brunson. Named the starting signal caller this spring by the UAlbany coaching staff, Brunson knows his No. 1 job is not guaranteed. Spring practice gives him a chance to develop his overall game and personal skills, no matter who gets more snaps behind the center next fall.

Brunson, as a redshirt sophomore, played in four games last season, predominately as Neven Sussman's backup. He completed 25 of 45 passes for 285 yards and a touchdown, and he was also intercepted three times. In total, Great Dane QBs passed for 1,357 yards, completed 48.3 percent of their passes, and tossed for eight TDs as a complement to star running back Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks, who rushed for 1,401 yards and 16 scores.

With Ibitokun-Hanks recovering from an ALS injury and basically sitting out spring practice, the Great Danes are working on improving their passing attack. That starts with the QB.

“Our job is to get better as a unit and push forward,” said Brunson, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound graduate of Carolina Forest in Myrtle Beach, S.C. “My goal is just to do my job. That's everybody's mentality. Our job as quarterback is to manage the offense and just do our job. No matter what the position, we are all trying to make each other better. We want to be the best player we can be out there. Nothing has changed (as far as offensive schemes), and that's good. It helps our young quarterbacks. We can go more into depth and do different things this spring.”

Since Ibitokun-Hanks is currently on the sidelines lifting weights and rehabbing his surgically repaired knee, the rest of the UAlbany offense must step up. “Balance is what every offense needs. “Our job is to bring the other 50 percent (without Ibitokun-Hanks),” Brunson said. “Throughout the season, we learn from our mistakes. Definitely, we need to do a lot of things in the spring to fix some of those mistakes.”

UAlbany head coach Greg Gattuso, who is prepping for his fourth season next fall, doesn't want to put too much pressure on Brunson early, but he admitted that the quarterback position overall must produce more next season. “There are a lot of battles going for positions this spring. Will Brunson has been named No. 1, but Neven won some games for us last year. We are excited about what they both can do,” he said. “They are very close. I don't know if the quarterback position ever is settled, but I have full confidence in both of them. There is a learning curve for quarterbacks, and it usually takes two or three years out of high school before they are ready. Both of our guys will be in their third years.”

Although the Great Danes depended heavily on the run during last year's solid 7-4 campaign, Gattuso knows the passing game must improve dramatically, no matter how well his star running back comes back from injury. “We need EB. He's the heart of this football team. But we have to throw it better. For us to take a step up, we have to throw it effectively,” Gattuso said. “We will do what it takes to win games. I don't care about style points.”

It's hard to imagine the Great Danes' offense throwing the ball all over Casey Stadium, but Gattuso said that part of the offensive attack must be ready to pick up the slack when necessary. “We should be capable of throwing 50 times if we have to,” Gattuso said. “If we are healthy, we will obviously be more of a running team with play-action. It's hard to win in the Northeast if you can't run the football. But we must be able to pass effectively, as well.”

He will lift weights several times a week, and also work with the training staff on getting his knee back to 100 percent. “This is definitely my first major injury, and I'm working hard to get through it,” he said. “This spring, I will try to be a big brother and a mentor to the other guys. My expectations are the same as always,” he said. “I want us to make a run at the playoffs, and I'll do whatever it takes to get back to 100 percent.”

“The Spring Football Game and Stomp offers an exciting opportunity for our fans to enjoy a sneak preview of our football team, support our nationally ranked lacrosse team match up against perennial power Yale and enjoy a tailgate in between,” said UAlbany director of athletics Mark Benson. “It's a great day to be a Great Dane fan!”