The Fresno City College Rams football team is doing things unconventionally this year starting two different quarterbacks throughout the first half of the season.

Sophomores Anthony Monken and Andrew Zimmerman have been sharing duties behind center for the sixteenth ranked team in the California Community College Athletics Association.

Monken returned to the team after backing up former Rams’ signal caller, Christian Rossi, while Zimmerman is coming to FCC after being at Fresno State.

Playing with two quarterbacks, however, has the potential to bring about descension in the locker room. Many players worry about their playing time, but both players have denied that this as being a problem.

“I’m not really like that. I’m not going to be like, ‘I think I deserve more,’” Zimmerman said. “If I deserve more they will notice me. I won’t have to ask for more.”

“I went through sharing time  during my senior year with a kid on our team that is actually playing at Northwestern right now,” Monken said.

“At the quarterback position, you are with these guys every single day and so you become pretty good friends with them over time.  [Splitting quarterback duties] is not a big deal, it’s one of your buddies.”

Head coach Tony Caviglia stated that both quarterbacks are capable of getting the job done, and that has been the factor in not having a full-time starter.

“They both have talented arms,” Caviglia said. “They have college arms and are really bright students of the game.

“Both of them possess great leadership qualities. Getting to learn the system and getting to learn the things that they have to do to be successful are really what we wanted to get them ready for.”

One of the main concerns on the field with starting multiple quarterbacks is the possibility of not developing a good rapport with the rest of the offense. Timing is a crucial part of football and if that is disrupted, it could lead to bad results on the field.

Timing is often developed through countless repetitions during practice. The way that the reps are split can have a direct impact on the quality of play.

In order to combat that, Caviglia typically allows each quarterback to take roughly the same number of reps so both can be ready to start or come into the game in relief of the other.

“Whoever started that week gets a little bit more reps, but we’re spread pretty evenly in the team drills. Usually the starter will get a couple more reps,” Zimmerman said.

Despite all of the unconventional circumstances regarding who plays, both quarterbacks have had good success at certain points during the season.

Monken has played very well in particular as he ranks third in the state in pass yards per game and third in touchdown passes, with seven.

Zimmerman is the eighth ranked passer in the CCCAA, averaging 103 yards per game. He has thrown five touchdown passes.

With two quarterbacks that have such ability, Caviglia knows that no matter whose number he calls, his offense will be in good hands.

“I feel good that whoever is behind center can do we need to do to be able to win.”