Friends Ryan Jackson, Anthony Policare battle for Tommies QB position

With the season opener around the corner at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota, there's a big question: Which passer will pass the other? 

The starting job is up for grabs between Ryan Jackson and Anthony Policare.

"There's competition everywhere," Jackson said. "Anthony and me are great friends. We built a great relationship. Every day we learn from our mistakes, push each other."

Jackson is entering his third year on campus. He appeared in five games last season, with two touchdowns: one passing, one rushing. Head coach Glenn Caruso calls him a "playmaker."

"Last year I would have said [Jackson] needs to be able to keep the moments under control in the game," Caruso said. "He focused on that in the spring and had a tremendous spring specifically doing that."  

Policare is a transfer from Buffalo University. He spent the previous three years as a walk-on for the Bulls, but didn't see any game action. Caruso describes him as "uber, uber competitive."

"When you have a battle like this, it's easy to start thinking about what the other guys are doing, trying to compare yourself. But you just have to take it day by day," said Policare, a western New York native. "There's days where you're super competitive and every rep feels like it's the Super Bowl. But then you got to look back at it, you know, what would your 3-year-old self think of you right now? You'd be pretty proud of yourself."

Speaking of quarterback competitions, Jackson grew up in Legrange Park, Illinois — the same hometown as fellow Twin Cities-area purple passer J.J. McCarthy.

"He played in LFC, which is Lyons Township Football Club, and I played in that growing up," Jackson said. "Our family knows each other, so it's really cool to see him at the Vikings right over here. It's cool to see."

The Tommies open the season at home against Winona State on Aug. 27.