How big are you? I'm 6-foot-1, about 175 pounds.

Have you always been a quarterback? Yes, since second grade.

Were you surprised when you were named starting quarterback? Yes, I was, actually. There was a lot of good competition, but it showed that all of the hard work paid off.

What type of feedback have you gotten from people? I hear "nice job" a lot. I get a lot of encouragement. People have been really supportive.

As a freshman, was it difficult to get the older players to believe in you? It took a little while during the summer workouts for people to get to know me. But now I know they've all got my back.

It helps to have a good offensive line. Yes, it does. We have an amazing line. I'm feeling real comfortable with them. I know they will sacrifice themselves for whatever we need.

What has been the toughest part of learning the position: Getting acclimated to the speed of the game. Other than that, it's memorizing plays, knowing my reads and my drops. Mostly mechanics.

What is your biggest strength? I don't think I have a specific thing I do really well. I think I should be prepared to do anything. If you're prepared and your moment comes along, you should be able to handle it.

JIM PAULSEN