Redshirt senior quarterback Robert Council returned from a two-game absence caused by a groin injury, but he played poorly in Morgan State's 45-0 loss at North Carolina A&T on Saturday.
And Council's replacement, redshirt junior Moses Skillon, did not play much better in the second half.
So perhaps it shouldn't be too surprising that coach Lee Hull is unsure which quarterback will start when the Bears (5-5 overall and 4-2 in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) welcome South Carolina State (7-3, 5-1) to Hughes Stadium on Saturday at 1 p.m.
"I don't know," Hull said when asked about the quarterback situation Tuesday during his weekly conference call arranged by the league. "We'll go through this week of practice, and we'll decide after this week, probably on Friday or so."
That little bit of mystery figures to be a challenge for a Bulldogs defense that ranks fourth in the MEAC in average points and yards allowed this season. South Carolina State coach Buddy Pough said he has been impressed by both Council and Skillon.
"I don't see much of a difference in their skill set," Pough said Tuesday. "Both guys are big and strong and can run like the wind. Both guys throw it around pretty good. I don't see much of a change in their offense between the two guys. I think you prepare for the style of play that Morgan State presents. … We've just got to be prepared for that style of attack. The tough part about it is, both guys execute at a pretty high level."
Hull denied that he is keeping the identity of his starting quarterback under wraps to confuse the Bulldogs.
"I'm just worried about winning the football game," he said. "I'm going to play whoever I think gives us the best opportunity to win the football game. I'm not into playing games and all that, being mysterious or whatever. We've just got to see who does the best job this week and whoever gives us the best opportunity, that's who we'll play."
Council completed just 3 of 9 passes for 30 yards and threw two interceptions that the Aggies turned into touchdowns. He ran for 57 yards on 10 carries and did not appear hobbled by an injured groin, but Hull speculated that Council was "trying too much."
"Coming back from injury, he wanted to be at the level he was before he got injured," Hull said. "I thought he pressed too much."
Skillon had a better statistical outing than Council, connecting on 5 of 14 throws for 88 yards, but he lost 4 yards on five rushing attempts and was stripped of the ball in the third quarter. And Hull said Skillon missed a few opportunities.
"He missed some reads in the passing game, which he hadn't done before," Hull said. "There were a couple plays we probably could have had touchdowns on that we left on the field there, some misreads for Moses. I thought Moses did a decent job."