Moments after Westlake’s Red/Blue spring football game in May, Chap coach Darren Allman pondered his brewing quarterback controversy and shrugged.

“It’ll play itself out, because it always does,” he said.

Well, “it” – Westlake’s first full-blown quarterback controversy since an injury to Mark Oliver threw the position in shambles in 2002 – doesn’t have play anymore. Senior Preston Dewey has transferred to St. Andrew’s, junior Lewis Guilbeau will start, junior Blake Box will see limited time under center, and the Chaps will go retro in 2010.

The formations will look different than those 1980s wishbone teams of Ebbie Neptune, of course. The play calling will have different terminology, the players will wear tighter jerseys, and they won’t get grass stains on their pants.

But when Guilbeau scampers through the middle on a quarterback keeper, it’ll hearken back to the days of Jimmy Saxton rather than Nick Foles or Drew Brees. Have no doubt, Chap faithful: This year’s team will run, run, run, and then pass to set up another run. You will not see a QB throw for 2,643 yards, like current Wake Forest signal caller Tanner Price did last year.

Westlake’s coaches care more about stats like 38.8, which was the Chaps’ scoring average in six playoff games a year ago. Don’t expect that number to slip too far with Guilbeau getting the majority of snaps. The compact junior (listed at 5-10 and 184 pounds, but take away an inch and add a few pounds for accuracy) possesses dynamic quickness, enough power to pull through a linebacker and the speed to outleg the secondary.

Fans sampled Guilbeau’s skills in that spring game, when he ran for 176 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries. Coaches noticed, too, and named Guilbeau the starter over Dewey.

Westlake’s power spread offense offers plenty of opportunities for the QB to pick up yardage on the ground. Glance back at last season, when Price took advantage of Westlake’s scheme to rumble for 1,108 yards rushing. Guilbeau possesses more inherent running skills than Price. The 20-yard runs that Price ripped off last season could become 80-yard scores for the speedy Guilbeau. However, can Guilbeau complete those 20-yard passes that Price delivered with consistency?

Affirmation could determine whether Westlake matches last season’s run to state. Allman stresses that Westlake must have offensive balance. If a quarterback can’t throw, he says, he won’t be on the field.

However, the Chaps will define balance by the possibility of a passing attack rather than its production. Westlake will generate most of its offense on the ground in 2010, but Guilbeau must emerge as, at the least, a threat to pass in order to keep defenses from stacking nine in the box.

If safeties must stay honest, then the Chaps will chew up chunks of yards on the ground and grind out a series of wins. And at Westlake, there’s nothing ever controversial about winning.