A&M Consolidated coaches picked a starting quarterback this week, making that important decision about nine months after their counterparts at Klein Oak.

Junior Jacob Bronowski won a four-man preseason competition for the Consol quarterback job and will start when the Tigers open the 2010 season against the Klein Oak Panthers in refurbished Klein ISD Memorial Stadium at 7 p.m. Friday.

Klein Oak also has a new junior quarterback in Nicky Baratti, but the job has been his since last season ended. Baratti, who started at safety and running back last season, will take over the reins of what could be an explosive offense.

Baratti rushed for more than 100 yards per game last season as the Panthers won four of their last five games to finish 4-6. He should have plenty of weapons in Klein Oak's spread attack, including University of Oklahoma commit Max Stevenson (6-foot-6, 240 pounds) at tight end along with receivers Tory and Corey Waites.

"We're not predicted to win our district, but I really think that we could pull it off if everything goes right," Klein Oak coach David Smith said. "We think we have the talent."

With his team picked to finish third in District 13-5A, Smith is counting on the leadership of a senior class that includes several players who were on the 2008 Klein Oak team that reached the Class 5A Division II state quarterfinals.

Klein Oak has another player committed to OU in defensive lineman Nathan Hughes (6-4, 250). Defensive end John Lewis (6-2, 260) has scholarship offers from defending national champion Alabama as well as Oregon, TCU and Texas Tech.

"They've got tremendous size, a lot of kids 6-foot-4 or bigger," Consol coach Jim Slaughter said. "They've got a lot of returners coming back, all the ingredients that it takes to make a good ballclub."

The Tigers return several key members from last year's team that tied for the 12-5A championship and finished 7-4 with a loss in the first round of the playoffs. Consol is expected to contend for its district title even though the Tigers have question marks at quarterback, on the offensive line, in the secondary and at linebacker.

Consol's defense should be tested by Baratti and company. The 6-2, 200-pounder is a tremendous athlete who has run the high hurdles in 14-flat. Baratti played quarterback throughout his career until switching positions last season when Klein Oak had a senior quarterback.

"He's a proven varsity player with the ball in his hands," Smith said. "Nicky is ready to be the guy at quarterback. He's got all the tools. He can run. He's got an excellent arm, and he's been throwing with these guys since January."

Bronowski got most of the work with the No. 1 offense during Consol's only preseason scrimmage. He made one varsity start last season when he was forced into the lineup against Belton after the Tigers lost senior starting quarterbacks to knee injuries in consecutive weeks. Bronowski, who also played the last part of the game against Bryan, has attempted two varsity passes without a completion and had one carry for minus 6 yards.

During spring training and August workouts Bronowski competed against junior Justin Benden, senior transfer Jake DeRuyter and sophomore Weston Garner to be Consol's quarterback.

"Jacob's worked awful hard this summer to improve himself, and it shows," Slaughter said. "I've got a lot of confidence in Justin Benden and Jake DeRuyter. We've got some depth at quarterback."

Consol coaches made improving their passing game an offseason priority in hopes of providing balance to go with three-year starting running backs Chris Nutall and Clinton Banks. They combined for 2,380 yards last season and have rushed for 3,851 yards and scored 49 touchdowns since joining the varsity team early in their sophomore season.

"You're looking at a heck of a battle, a battle that you might see in the playoffs in the regionals," Smith said. "I think both teams are good enough to get in the playoffs and roll. Of course we've gotta get there first."

A&M Consolidated Tigers (0-0) vs. Klein Oak Panthers (0-0)

Klein ISD Memorial Stadium

7 p.m. Friday

WTAW (1620 AM)