Zack Bradley thought the Sept. 27 game against Juniata would be any of the other three previous routine weeks of the first year of his collegiate career at Franklin and Marshall. The former Roughies' quarterback and freshman signal caller is one of six quarterbacks on the roster, and he knew someday his time would come.

A few days before his team's game against Juniata, Bradley's call came sooner than expected.

F&M head coach John Troxell informed Bradley at the beginning of the week that he would be taking more reps and working with the varsity as a result of starter Matt McGarrity suffering a shoulder injury.

Two days before his game at Juniata, Bradley was named the starter. In the same fashion as he rewrote the Roughies' passing record books and was named an All-State performer, Bradley responded with a shining 19 of 26, 193 yards, four-touchdown performance in helping his team to a 35-33 victory.

Bradley noticed some differences, but he took most of it in stride. After some early jitters, he began to settle into a nice groove after his first series.

"It is different in the playing level and the overall size and speed of the players," said Bradley now playing at the Division III level. "I was a little nervous in my first series and it seemed like I threw a ball at a player who was four feet in front of me 400 miles an hour.

"But as the game went on, I began to see things more and more out there. There is a big difference quarterbacking at Catty and doing it here. I did begin to get more comfortable with things."

Bradley stated the likely biggest difference has been learning a college offense.

"It has held me back a little learning the offense," he said. "There was a point where I was struggling with it. I kept overthrowing a lot and wasn't in sync. I'll keep picking up on the offense as we go along."

Another road block was summer camp where Bradley was one of three incoming freshman quarterbacks with stellar credentials.

"We had one guy come in as an all-stater from Virginia and another from Maryland," he stated. "Having six quarterbacks at a Division III school is a lot. It was definitely a different summer being here. You find out you're not the big man on campus anymore, as there are plenty of them around with you."

With an impressive start, Bradley was back under center Oct. 4 when they traveled to Dickinson. Bradley was trying to make another early splash as his team was in search of its 600th school win.

But F&M fell to Dickinson 27-14. Bradley was 24 for 38 for 231 yards and two touchdowns while also throwing an interception.

With a bye week now over, things seem to be falling into place.

"It was a good sign for me after my first series," Bradley added about his first game. "Everything flowed well and I'm seeing everything. But I know I have to produce every day here. I have to keep fighting and clawing. It will be a matter of me learning and working."