Redshirt freshman QB Clayton Thorson named Northwestern starter

Redshirt freshman Clayton Thorson was named the starting quarterback for Northwestern's season-opener against Stanford on Sept. 5.

Redshirt freshman Clayton Thorson was named the starting quarterback for Northwestern's season-opener against Stanford on Sept. 5, Wildcats head coach Pat Fitzgerald announced Thursday.

Thorson, who sat out the 2014 season behind Trevor Siemian, beat out fifth-year senior Zack Oliver and redshirt sophomore Matt Alviti for the starting spot.

Thorson, a native of Wheaton, Ill., was a four-star recruit and the No. 136 player in the nation in Rivals.com's 2014 class.

Rivals also listed Thorson as the sixth-best dual-threat signal caller and seventh-best overall player from Illinois during his senior year at Wheaton North High School. 

Thorson chose Northwestern over Penn State, Minnesota, Boston College, Syracuse, Northern Illinois and Ole Miss.

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