HARRISONBURG — Mike Houston has settled on a quarterback.

Junior Bryan Schor will start for James Madison in today’s season opener at Bridgeforth Stadium against Morehead State, the first-year head coach said late Friday.

Schor battled and held off South Carolina transfer Connor Mitch for the role after both split reps with the first-team offense during three weeks of preseason camp.

“From the day I told [Schor] that I was bringing another quarterback in, he operated with more of an urgency and maybe with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder,” Houston said.

The Milford, Pa., native captured the No. 1 job by understanding new offensive coordinator Donnie Kirkpatrick’s system and with repeated solid performances during two-a-day practices, Houston said.

In the team’s scrimmage on Aug. 20, Schor set the tone for the first-team offense, completing all five passes he attempted on the opening drive. The five completions included a 33-yard touchdown strike to senior receiver Rashard Davis on a post-corner throw.

“Any time he had the opportunity to lead that offense, that’s the way he handled himself, which is important,” Houston said. “You have to be able to handle the stage and certainly, I think, he has that mindset, so that’s a big part of it, too. That’s the way the guys around him view him also.”

Last fall, Schor saw action in eight games and started the final four after then-starter Vad Lee got hurt. Schor completed 63-percent of his throws for 847 yards and seven touchdowns in his sophomore season.

“Something I focused on this summer was talking at the right moment,” Schor said. “I wasn’t going to just talk to talk because when someone goes out there and tries to make that type of transition when they’re trying too hard to lead, it doesn’t work. When you force it, it doesn’t mean as much.”

“But, with Vad leaving and a lot of us coming back, I knew it was something that I’d have to do.”

On the practice field, Schor said he never let the competition with Mitch get to him. The Lackawanna College product said he only concentrated on himself.

One of the aspects he wanted to improve upon throughout the competition was his throwing motion. Schor said he accomplished that goal.

“I’ve never been one to look at a competition and think, ‘Well he just did that, so I have to make that throw.’ I feel like when you do that, it gets you off your game,” Schor said.

Houston said he doesn’t want his starting quarterback “looking over his shoulder” and worrying about the backup coming into the game, so Schor would have the opportunity to gain rhythm and chemistry with the first-team offense against the Eagles.

“We won’t hesitate to play Connor if we want to or need to,” Houston said, “But at the same time, Bryan Schor is our starting quarterback.”

Kirkpatrick — rolling out his balanced spread attack for the first time — said he needs to see Schor operate the offense against Morehead State’s defense like he did throughout camp against JMU’s defense.

“The quarterback needs to protect the ball, not try do too much and just manage the game,” Kirkpatrick said. “He needs to get the ball in the hands of the guys that can make plays. He has to have us in the right play and be ready for some adjustments.”