Byron Leftwich wouldn’t know what to do if he didn’t have Chad Pennington as his teacher.

The junior quarterback knows if it wasn’t for Pennington Leftwich would not be the quarterback he is today. Pennington, who was drafted with the 18th pick by the New York Jets in 2000 and now is the backup to Vinny Testaverde, finished his career as the most prolific passer in Marshall history. In his last three seasons as the Thundering Herd’s quarterback, he finished with 10,696 passing yards and 100 touchdowns. In his senior season, Pennington finished fifth in the Heisman voting.

Leftwich was Pennington’s backup in 1998 and 1999 and took in all he could from Pennington.

“My best two years were those two years sitting behind him and learning from him,” Leftwich said. “It was my job to take the stuff that he taught me and bring it to the field.”

And so far he has.

One publication even predicted that Leftwich would be a top-five draft pick if he enters this season’s NFL Draft. Another publication said Leftwich is the best quarterback in college football, while another said if he improves as much in 2001 as he did in 2000, there is little doubt that he will be the best player in the country.

But all the accolades mean nothing to Leftwich. All he wants to do is lead Marshall to the Mid-American Conference Championship.

Since rejoining the MAC in 1997, Marshall has gone to the MAC Championship and won the Motor City Bowl the last three seasons. Leftwich doesn’t want to be known as the quarterback that stopped the Herd’s streak.

But things got off to a bumpy start for the Herd. The Herd went up against the No. 1 team in the nation in Florida in the season opener and were crushed 49-14. Leftwich, who passed for 274 yards against the Gators, knows it is those types of games that could be a good learning experience for a team whose dreams are of conference championships.

“That was a great game for us as a program,” Leftwich said. “It was great as a player. We did some great things, but we also did some bad things. When watching that game, we did some great stuff against the No. 1 team in the nation. And you got to feel good about that.”

And it’s games like last week’s against Bowling Green where the learning experience comes into play. The Herd overcame an 11-point deficit to take the 37-31 win over the Falcons. Leftwich threw two touchdowns in the Herd’s last three touchdowns in Marshall’s win.

“He’s a very good quarterback,” NIU coach Joe Novak said. “He’s a big, strong physical kid. He’s got the ability to [be a high draft choice]. But the biggest thing he needs to get is experience. I have seen him do things that just make you go ‘wow.'”

The junior knows his dream of going to the NFL is almost a reality, but he also knows his dream could be halted in one play.

And while he doesn’t mold his game after any particular quarterback in the NFL, Leftwich hopes to make his own niche in the NFL. On Sundays Leftwich sits in front of his television and studies the quarterbacks of the NFL, particularly Brian Griese and Peyton Manning, two of his favorites.

“It’s a dream of mine,” Leftwich said of playing in the NFL, “but that is a dream of every quarterback. It’s not promised to everybody. I know I am one hit away from not playing football ever again. But if I can play in the NFL, I will be a happy man.”

But that doesn’t mean Leftwich will leave for the NFL after this season.

“Right now, I am not even thinking about it,” he said. “There is a lot of talk about me leaving for the NFL. But people have to remember that I have not said anything about that. It has not come from my mouth. The time to worry about that will be in the next year and a half.”

And whenever he is ready to take that next step, all Leftwich has to do is thank Pennington.