By Tyler Barto
Twitter: @Tyler_Barto
tbarto@trentonian.com

PISCATAWAY — After a muddled spring, head coach Kyle Flood said Chris Laviano saw such few reps that he prolonged Rutgers' quarterback competition.

Flood watched enough of the redshirt freshman Tuesday to name him the team's backup. Laviano said he's happy for the trust.

"It's one step closer to your ultimate goal," Laviano said Wednesday. "If coach think it's best for the team, I'm going to prepare every week like I'm going to play."

An endorsement from offensive coordinator Ralph Friedgen likely cemented Flood's decision. Flood planned on using Friedgen, a coach for 30-plus years, as a sounding board. He has seen Laviano every day in position meetings.

"He just demands a lot from us," Laviano said of Friedgen. "He has high expectations for the quarterbacks in the film room. He gives us a lot of tips on coverages and plays."

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Flood won't get enough of a rap sheet on Laviano for a few days. He'll monitor how he handles full second-team reps.

"I don't know if we'll know that in two days," Flood said. "But I'm pleased with how he's working, I'm pleased with how he's managing the offense when he's out there. I think a week from now we'll hopefully see some really, really big effects of taking a lot more reps than he was taking."