Northridge Lands Quarterback

SAN DIEGO —  The quarterback battle at Cal State Northridge will take on a more competitive look Monday when Illinois transfer J.J. O’Laughlin enrolls at Northridge.

O’Laughlin, 6-foot-2, 197 pounds, was recently granted a release by Division I-A Illinois, allowing him to play immediately at Northridge, a I-AA school. Because he used his redshirt season in 1990, he will have two years to complete two years of eligibility.

O’Laughlin was the most experienced among four inexperienced players vying for the quarterback position this fall at Illinois. He did not win the job, which prompted his transfer.

During his career at Illinois, O’Laughlin had three position coaches, most recently Greg Landry. Last season as the Illini’s third-string quarterback, he appeared in one series and did not throw a pass. In 1991, he played in the late stages of a 51-10 victory over Houston.

At Glendora High, O’Laughlin completed 100 of 228 passes for 1,675 yards and nine touchdowns. He also ran for 11 touchdowns and led the Tartans to a 12-1-1 record in 1989 and a tie in the Southern Section Division IV championship game.

Once he learns the plays, O’Laughlin will attempt to push senior starter Coley Kyman and backup Clayton Millis for playing time. After a close battle during fall drills, Kyman won the job over Millis, a sophomore transfer from Oregon.