ATHENS — Tucker Carter and Deric Davis are becoming a problem for the Trinity Valley Community College coaching staff.

The kind of problem any junior college football coach in the country would love to have.

As spring workouts stretched into their second week, Carter and Davis are showing some of the reasons why they were two of the state’s top quarterbacks coming out of high school.

And that’s what’s making things so hard. Both are performing so well right now, coaches say it’s hard to figure out which one could earn the starting job next fall.

“The job is wide open, and they’re making each other better every day,” TVCC offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Sherard Poteete said. “It’s a great problem to have.”

Each player came to TVCC with an impressive resume.

Carter, the son of a football coach, came off the bench to win four straight playoff games and lead Class 5A Allen to a state championship in 2008. He shared time as a senior behind Matt Brown, who is now at TCU, and helped Allen to the area round of the playoffs.

Davis was one of the state’s most electrifying quarterbacks as a senior at Arlington Bowie High School. His numbers were jaw-dropping: 212 of 319 for 3,100 yards with 39 touchdowns and just three interceptions. He also rushed for 640 yards and seven touchdowns and led Bowie to the Class 5A Division II regional finals. After the season, he was named Class 5A Offensive Player of the Year by the Associated Press.

During the college recruiting process, Davis talked with schools such as Oregon and Colorado and was told he had all the tools except height (he’s 5-9). In an interview with the Dallas Morning News, Davis said he would go the junior college route to prove he can play on the Division I level.

He may get his chance, but he’ll have to beat out Carter — a 6-2, 195-pound signal caller who TVCC Head Coach Brad Smley says is a pocket-type passer who will surprise opponents with his speed.

Carter got one start for the Cardinals last season — on the road against Arkansas Baptist College. Stepping in for the injured Si’Darius Blackshire, Carter threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Chris Franklin and led the team in rushing in TVCC’s 25-20 victory. He left the game injured, however, forcing Blackshire back into action.

Davis was redshirted last season, and Poteet said coaches talked about, but ultimately resisted, burning his redshirt by adding him to the active roster.

Smiley said he is “very comfortable” with his quarterback situation as it stands right now. If you don’t believe him, revisit that list of 2011 Cardinal football recruits from this past February.

You won’t find a single quarterback on the list. TVCC signed Athens High School quarterback Tevin Watson, but coaches say he will likely figure more into the running game. Watson was signed and listed as an athlete, meaning he will likely be used in various situations.

After last season’s success under Blackshire — who led the Cardinals to the Southwest Junior College Football Conference championship game and will play for Sam Houston State next season — it seems the bar has been raised at quarterback.

Smiley said when he first became head coach at TVCC, he looked for quarterbacks who could limit turnovers and lead the offense down the field.

Now, more than ever, it sounds like he will be looking for his quarterbacks to be playmakers themselves.

“What Si showed us last year,” Smiley said, “is that the ability to make a play when things break down is huge.”

That led to wins in 2010 — and Smiley said the one who shows he can lead the Cardinals to the most in 2011 will win the job.