Northwestern has its quarterback.
Redshirt freshman Clayton Thorson will start the Wildcats' season-opener against Stanford, head coach Pat Fitzgerald announced Thursday.
Thorson, a Wheaton North product, won a three-man quarterback battle this offseason against senior Zack Oliver and sophomore Matt Alviti.
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[MORE BIG TEN: Northwestern, Stanford series apparently trimmed from six games to two]
Thorson was rated a four-star prospect out of high school and the No. 6 dual-threat quarterback in the Class of 2014, per Rivals. He was one of the stars of that solid 2014 class for Fitzgerald.
Yet to throw a pass in a college football game, he does bring a good deal of hype with him into the job. He was the pick of many fans and observers to eventually earn the gig.
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Thorson takes over for the departed Trevor Siemian, who served as starter either by himself or in a two-quarterback system for the past several seasons in Evanston.
Northwestern opens its season against Stanford at 11 a.m. on Sept. 5.