Shaw names Nunes Stanford's starting QB

The successor to the Andrew Luck dynasty has been named.Josh Nunes will be the new starting quarterback for the Stanford Cardinal forthe 2012 season.Head Coach David Shaw announced Nunes, a redshirt junior, asthe starter Tuesday after Stanfords practice, ending a competition betweenNunes and redshirt sophomore Brett Nottingham for the right to replace No. 1overall NFL Draft pick, Andrew Luck.Nunes did not play last season after appearing in four gamesin 2010. He threw just two passes in the 2010 season, closing out theCardinals 68-24 win over Wake Forest. The thirdStanford quarterback to appear in that game, Nunes completed a seven-yard passto Sam Knapp and missed on his other attempt.The six-foot, four-inch signal caller worked with the first-team offense at Stanfords finalscrimmage of training camp Sunday, completing sevenof 10 passes for 49 yards with a touchdown. Nottinghamarguably had the more impressive day statistically, racking up 125 yards onfive-of-six passing with the second-team offense.Nottingham was the primarybackup to Luck last season, appearing in six games. He completed five of eightpasses for 78 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown pass against San Jose State.Nunes was a four-star recruit out of high school, andRivals.com rated him the 13th-best pro-style quarterback in 2009 recruit class.He threw for 6,306 yards and 54 touchdowns as a three-year starter at Upland High Schoolin Southern California.Nottingham was ranked the fourth-best pro-style quarterbackof the 2010 recruit class by Rivals.com and threw for 7,467 yards and 91touchdowns in high school, playing for MonteVista High School in Danville.Nunes will have several weapons to work with on offense,most notably tailback Stepfan Taylor. Taylorrushed for 1330 yards and 10 touchdowns last season in addition to another 182yards and two touchdowns receiving.However, Stanfords top three receivers last year -- GriffWhalen, Chris Owusu and Coby Fleenerall graduated, meaning Nunes will needto establish his own top targets.Stanford begins its 2012 campaign on Aug. 31 at home againstSan Jose State and will face its first major testwhen the Cardinal host USC on Sept. 15. Nunes will have the benefit of playingeach of his first three starts at Stanford Stadium before going on the road toface Washingtonon Sept. 27.The Cardinal begin the season ranked No. 21 in the APPreseason Poll and No. 18 in the USA Today Coaches Poll.