Greg Gattuso names Myles Burkett as UAlbany football's Week 1 starting quarterback

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- As this new-look UAlbany football team starts to build an identity, locking down a starting quarterback to replace Reese Poffenbarger is an integral part of that process. Just over a week away their season opener, the Great Danes have their signal caller.

Head coach Greg Gattuso announced Wednesday that University of Wisconsin-Madison transfer Myles Burkett will be the Week 1 starter when UAlbany takes on Long Island University.

Burkett, a redshirt sophomore, beat out graduate returner Trey Lindsey for the job following what Gattuso described as a very tight competition throughout camp.

"It's hard to make these decisions," said Gattuso. "But that's not a position you can play around with. There's a confidence factor I think we need. I think Myles was a little more consistent; he's got a little stronger arm. I think he runs a little better. We'll see how it plays out. We have confidence in both of those guys, and…I think Van Weber's a star of the future at some point. Myles is really coming on; even more since we made the decision a few days ago, and he's played really well."

And this will be Burkett's first career collegiate start - an opportunity he's relishing.

"[It] means a lot. It's a representation of how the coaches trust in me; how my teammates trust in me," said Burkett. "I'm very blessed to be in this position. A lot of people would like to be in my position. But at the end of the day, I gotta keep getting better. I know the goals we have; I have to be the best guy out here."

Burkett knows he has big shoes to fill following Poffenbarger's record-breaking 2023 campaign. But he's not allowing that to dictate his game.

"To everyone else there might be pressure, but to me, there's really not," said Burkett. "I'm gonna go play my game. I'm blessed to have the guys around me that can allow me to just do my job, and we'll win games. So, I don't have to do too much. I don't have to do more than…you know, outside of my body. I just gotta do my job, and…we'll win a lot of football games."

UAlbany and LIU square off next Saturday, Aug. 30 from Tom & Mary Casey Stadium at 7:00 p.m.