Rutgers isn't yet a third of the way through spring practice, but Artur Sitkowski has already emerged as one of the main stories.

The true freshman from Old Bridge appears to have a strong chance to win the Scarlet Knights' quarterback job from the start. Sitkowski looks the part - 6-foot-4, 205 pounds - and has thrown the ball well in the limited time practice has been open to the media. He acts the part, too.

Sitkowski was calm and collected during his first media session since arriving on campus earlier this week, and he appears to be emerging as a leader now with the offseason program well underway, very mindful of how an early enrollee like him has to go about establishing himself on that front.

"I think leadership is taken a different way," Sitkowski said. "There's vocal leadership, and that takes time. You can't come in here and just start screaming. You can't do that. You've got fifth-year seniors that have been here for five years.

"But there are different ways you can lead. My approach was to just be myself, work hard every day, don't say much and just go in there and try to earn guys' respect. That's going to take its place the way it takes its place. I have no control over that. All I have control over is what I can do every single day I enter this building and every single time I leave this building. That's the way I approach it."

Head coach Chris Ash and offensive coordinator John McNulty have said reps will be divided up evenly among the five quarterbacks competing for the job in the early part of spring ball. But a pecking order will likely begin to materialize starting when the team has its first spring scrimmage. Sitkowski should be at or near the head of the line once the separation begins.

Ash and McNulty have mentioned Sitkowski unprompted in media sessions this spring. He certainly appears to be at the forefront of their plans, and in position to be Rutgers' first true freshman to start at quarterback since Gary Nova in 2011 - something McNulty made it clear he is comfortable with.

Winning the job, either now or in the summer, would be the latest turn in what has been an unusual road for Sitkowski, who transferred to national powerhouse IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, for his senior season as a Miami commit, only to lose his starting job and then de-commit and flip to Rutgers in November of last year.

"I've changed a lot. As a person, as a player, as an individual," Sitkowski said. "A lot more mature. I've been a lot more places, been around a lot more knowledge of the game of football, played against a lot more high-level competition. I've learned a lot. I've grown a lot."

Sitkowski said losing his job at IMG did not damage his confidence. "I believe in myself 110 percent," he said, adding the ability to enroll early at Rutgers has been "huge" for him.

"I'm getting here six months early, getting a grasp of the playbook and familiar with the guys, even the school," he said. "The school here is really challenging. Rutgers is a big-time institution with academics. It's huge academically, athletically, everything. It's great."

Being back in Middlesex County isn't bad either.

"I love it. Not the snow and the cold, but everything else is great," Sitkowski said. "Mom, Dad, (his brother) Alex, it's great being home. It's awesome."

James Kratch may be reached at jkratch@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JamesKratch. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.