NIU football has depth with the quarterback position this year in Rugai, Crabtree and Reichert.

However, Saturday’s opponent, the University of Illinois, does not. Instead, the Illini have one quarterback with All-American potential in senior Jason Verduzco.

Verduzco has the potential of becoming the University of Illinois’ all-time passing leader. He is 1,278 yards behind No. 2, Tony Eason (7,031) and 2,972 yards behind No. 1, Jack Trudeau (8,725).

“I don’t think it’s in the back of his mind,” said Illini offensive coordinator and 1962 NIU alum Tom Beck. “I don’t think it will affect his passing. He’s a very unselfish guy, and he just wants to win.”

Verduzco also begins the season No. 14 on the all-time Big Ten career passing list—50 yards behind Northwestern’s Mike Greenfield, 58 yards behind Michigan State’s Dave Yarema and 565 yards behind Ohio State’s Greg Frey.

The 5-9 Verduzco led his ballclub last year to a 6-6 record; a fifth-place finish in the Big Ten; impressive victories over the East Carolina Pirates, Houston Cougars and Ohio State Buckeyes and a berth in the John Hancock Bowl last year.

Along with those highlights, he threw 252 completions for a total of more than 3,000 yards and 15 touchdowns, while throwing for a pass efficiency of 60 percent on his way to helping Illinois to a No. 13 NCAA ranking in total pass offense with 2,877 yards and a No. 1 Big Ten ranking in total offense with 2,781 yards.

From Antioch, Calif., Verduzco might have only one problem in 1992. Former head coach John Mackovic took the University of Texas head coaching job, and new head coach Lou Tepper has employed a new offense that plans to put more emphasis on the run than last year, which might confuse Verduzco.

“We’re just attempting a balanced offense so that we can run and pass equally well,” said NIU Hall of Famer Beck. “That’s what our objectives are. I’ve always had a balanced offense and we try to put equal emphasis on the running and the passing game, and that’s what we’ll try to do in the future.”

Overall, Verduzco, rated by Pro Football Weekly as the best 5-9 passing quarterback since Doug Flutie, will be a thorn in the side of the NIU defense this Saturday in Memorial Stadium.

“He’s a tremendous competitor, and he’s a very intelligent quarterback,” said Beck. “He’s got a knack for seeing the field and having an awareness of what’s going on.”