Shuler Bentley, former Byrnes star, will start for Old Dominion Saturday with a bowl game on the line.
Bentley, benched earlier this season after the first series of a game, will start against Florida Atlantic. ODU is 5-5 and FAU is 2-9 and coming off a 20-14 overtime loss at No. 8 Florida.
Bentley came of the bench against Southern Miss last week in a loss and tossed a career-best 228 yards and three touchdown passes in relief of the injured QB David Washington. Washington suffered a knee injury late in the first quarter.
ODU is one win away from being bowl bound.
Wilder said Bentley’s background as a championship quarterback will kick in Saturday. He led Byrnes High School to a state championship and set state passing records while twice being named Gatorade South Carolina Player of the Year.
Bentley is the only four-star prospect ever to enroll at ODU.
“He’s been in this game so many times in his life,” Wilder said. “He’s been in critical situations so often, and he’s always handled it.”