FERRUM — Ferrum hopes to stymie defenses with two quarterbacks this season.

Matt Dobson is back for a second year as the starting quarterback in the team’s option offense. But Rockbridge County graduate Marcus Mayo made such a splash in spring practice that coach Dave Davis plans to use him as well.

“They both bring something different to the table, so we want to utilize both their talents,” said Davis, whose team has been picked second in the USA South poll. “There may be some games that Mayo doesn’t play a lot; there may be some that Matt doesn’t play a lot.”

Mayo was the 2006-07 Timesland male athlete of the year. He threw only one pass as a Ferrum freshman last fall before moving to backup receiver because of a strained arm he had suffered in the preseason. He made a bigger impact on the Ferrum men’s basketball team last winter.

Mayo said he can help make the quarterback position a “two-headed monster.”

“If the defense gives me the opportunity to run, I’m going to make plays with my feet,” Mayo said. “[Dobson] knows the offense inside and out, … but I think I can bring a little more athleticism to the position.”

Davis likes Dobson’s execution of the option game but said Mayo is faster and quicker.

“If they’re giving us some things with the quarterback in the running game, Marcus would excel at that,” said Davis, whose team was 5-5, 4-3 last fall. “Also, Marcus throws the ball very well.

“We can find game situations that one would help us or the other, instead of just saying 'We’re going in and rotating every other series.’ ”

Dobson ranked second on the team with 572 yards rushing as a sophomore last year. He completed just 42 of 104 passes for 765 yards and three touchdowns with 11 interceptions.

Halfback Mike Vann and All-USA South fullback Matt Lucas (524 yards rushing) are also back after helping Ferrum rank 11th in Division III in rushing offense (271.4 ypg) last year. Vann was the 2007 USA South rookie of the year, running for 747 yards.

The other starting halfback, Franklin County graduate Ronnie Edwards, left school. He ran for 582 yards as a junior. Another Franklin County graduate, LeBryan Patterson, will take over his starting slot.

Three starting offensive linemen must be replaced, as well as tight end Sergio Jones, who is academically ineligible.

Five starters return on defense, where four of the five starting defensive backs must be replaced. But Davis’ biggest problem is replacing linebacker J.J. Jordan, who had 471/2 tackles as a senior.

Ferrum lost two of its first three games last year and got off to an 0-2 start in 2006.

So this year, Davis has changed preseason practice. The freshmen and returning players now practice separately, giving each group more reps. Ferrum also got an early start on installing the plays for the season opener.

“If you do things the same way, you’re going to get the same results. So we’re doing some things differently,” said Davis, whose team tied for third in the USA South last year. “I’m an old man, but I’m not stuck in the mud.”