Grand Valley State football fans will be treated to a new sight in 2015.

The Heath Parling era has ended for the Lakers. No longer will the familiar No. 12 line up under center.

The question facing Matt Mitchell and the rest of the coaching staff – who will?

The quarterback competition at GVSU started with two candidates – sophomores Bart Williams and Ollie Ajami. In June, however, former Southern Illinois quarterback Ryan West transferred to GVSU and added his name to the mix.

The Lakers kick off their season on Sept. 3 against Southwest Baptist. Although GVSU will have one man tabbed as the starter, Mitchell isn’t afraid to platoon members of his talented crew as he sees fit.

“We might go with two,” Mitchell said. “A guy that in situation football gives you a spark that can do some things. There’s different people throughout the course of the game, Steve Spurrier from South Carolina… four of the eight conference championships they had two quarterbacks.

“The two quarterback thing I’m approaching it from a defensive mentality. By switching up styles of play that puts more pressure on your players.”

Each quarterback of the trio brings a unique package to GVSU’s offense.

Williams, a Grand Blanc, Michigan native, has a strong arm, stellar flow and works well in the five step passing game. He has the ability to hit tight windows and boasts strong timing along with a knack for extending the play when under pressure.

Williams saw action in three games last season, attempting two passes and completing his only one for a nine-yard touchdown against Lake Erie.

“I think we have a sense of urgency,” Williams said. “A game is coming up and we got to figure out who’s going to be the starter, but we feel confident in each other and we know whoever is out there is going to get it done.”

Ajami is likely the most athletic and the best runner of the group. A true dual threat quarterback out of Dearborn, Michigan, Ajami would give GVSU the look of an Oregon-styled offense – QB bootlegs, options and screens.

West started six games in two years at Division I SIU, completing 127-of-231 passes for 1,274 yards and 13 touchdowns, and is the most experienced quarterback of the bunch. West’s size and rocket arm are two of his most notable characteristics.

Mitchell and co. recruited West out of Oswego (Illinois) High School, but West opted for SIU. His younger brother, Zach West, is on the roster for GVSU men’s basketball, and played a key role in recruiting Ryan to GVSU.

“My brother is coming here on a basketball scholarship and he reached out to the assistant coach and he reached out to Coach Mitch and he kind of knew about me,” West said. “I knew that GVSU had a winning football program and I knew I wanted a good chance to compete and the rest is history.”

2014 won’t go down in GVSU lore as a historically successful season, but it must start with the quarterback for the Lakers to make history in 2015.

In many cases, depth chart races turn teammates into bitter rivals. In Allendale this summer, that hasn’t been the case.

“Without a doubt, the first word that comes to mind is ‘brotherhood,’” Ajami said about the relationship among the three. “Me, Bart, Ryan and even the two freshmen that came in, I feel like right off the bat we started bonding.”

West’s situation leaves Mitchell at ease with his depth. Injuries, especially to the quarterback, can derail an entire season, but the addition of West allows GVSU to be confident all the way back to the third string.

Whoever slots into the starting position will have to fill Parling’s sizeable cleats. Parling started since 2011 and completed 517-of-893 passes for 7,660 yards and 89 touchdowns over his Laker career.

A new sight it may be, but the pickings are plentiful. A new era is set to start for Laker football, and the man under center will play a big role in determining its place in GVSU history.