Troy names Gunnar Watson starting quarterback

Troy head coach Chip Lindsey named Gunnar Watson the starting quarterback for week one’s opener against Louisiana-Monroe following the Trojans’ final scrimmage on Saturday.

Lindsey had hinted several days earlier that a starter could be named within the week and the coach saw enough on Saturday to pull the trigger.

“He ran with the one’s today the whole time so we’re going to go ahead and name (Watson) our starter,” Lindsey said on Saturday. “I just think throughout the whole preseason practice he’s been the most consistent. Obviously we have several good options and there will be a competition to see how the pecking order falls and then Gunnar has to do his job to keep his spot.”

Watson is the most experienced option of a group that includes junior college transfer Parker McNeil, former Vanderbilt-enrollee Jacob Free and true freshman Kyle Toole.

Watson has 34 career pass attempts across eight games in two years.

Troy opens the season on September 5 at home against the Louisiana-Monroe Warhawks.

The rest of our projected depth chart can be found here.