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Gary Nova has been selected to be Rutgers' starting quarterback.
Coach Kyle Flood announced the decision Monday, giving Nova the nod over Chas Dodd, who had started eight games as a sophomore last fall.
A sophomore out of New Jersey high school power Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, Nova has enjoyed a strong training camp, completing 22 of 32 passes for 334 yards, four touchdowns and an interception in two scrimmages.
The Scarlet Knights open the season Sept. 1 at Tulane. Though Flood had stated all summer that he wanted to select his starting quarterback 7-to-10 days' before the opener, the first-year Scarlet Knights coach opted to reward Nova the job early because preparation for Tulane begins this week.
''We are fortunate to have two talented quarterbacks who have won big games for us,'' Flood said in a statement prior to a Monday morning practice. ''This has been an excellent competition but Gary's body of work ultimately earned him the job.''
Unlike former coach Greg Schiano, who flip-flopped Nova and Dodd often last season, Flood has said he would prefer to avoid that weekly distraction by sticking with one quarterback this season.
.Nova played in 10 games as a true freshman, throwing for 1,553 yards, 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions on 116-for-227 passing. He started five times during the middle portion of Rutgers' 9-4 campaign, recording a 3-2 mark one year after concluding a prep career that included a 24-0 record and two New Jersey parochial championships at Don Bosco.
In nine games last season, Dodd threw for 1,574 yards, 10 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Dodd has completed 55.7 percent and thrown for 3,211 yards in 20 games over the past two seasons. The South Carolina native earned the starting job in 2010 after an early-season competition with Tom Savage, who has since transferred to Pittsburgh.
