Free State quarterback Jordan Preston (17) looks downfield for a pass during the University of Kansas football team camp at Memorial Stadium on June 5, 2017.

Free State’s football team has three quarterbacks vying for the starting spot, and they’ve spent most of the offseason rooting for each other.

Each of the three quarterbacks — senior Gage Foster, junior Jordan Preston and sophomore Malik Berry — insist it’s been a mostly positive experience through the first three weeks of summer practices.

All of them had an opportunity to line up with the first-team offense during the team’s helmets-only camp and a pair of padded team camps hosted by the University of Kansas and Baker University.

“We have to find the right guy, whether it’s me, Malik or Jordan,” Foster said. “It doesn’t matter to me as long as it’s the best person that’s winning. That’s what I’m telling them every day I walk out here.”

Foster and Preston competed for the starting job last summer. Foster played quarterback during his freshman season, then shifted to backup varsity running back for the past two years. On defense, he’s a returning starter at outside linebacker.

Last season, Preston was the quarterback for the junior-varsity team and Berry was behind center for the freshmen squad. As a freshman, Berry played some varsity snaps at defensive back.

“Having Gage as a senior, he’s pushing me to the limit every day, telling me what I can do better,” Berry said. “Just a lot of competition. At the end of the day, it’s about making each one of us better.”

Free State quarterback Gage Foster (5) prepares to fire a pass during a scrimmage at the University of Kansas football team camp at Memorial Stadium on June 5, 2017.

One of the benefits of the quarterback competition is they all bring their own styles to the field, which their counterparts learn from in each practice. Foster noted Preston is a really strong passer and Berry is a dynamic athlete.

As a bonus, they believe they are surrounded by plenty of talent. The Firebirds feature a big and tall offensive line with several returning receivers including Keenan Garber, Bo Miller and Tanner Cobb.

“We watch each other’s mistakes and things they do well and just learn off each other like that,” Preston said. “You just have to make sure you do your job and pick up the team around you.”

After completing four days of padded team camps in the last two weeks, the trio of quarterbacks had a chance to see various defensive schemes and they planned on reviewing film with assistant coach Devin McAnderson.

Free State head coach Bob Lisher, who will be calling the offense’s plays, said he will name a starting quarterback and backup prior to the team’s first game because he doesn’t want it to carry over into the season.

“All three of them just need more experience and more reps to feel more comfortable,” Lisher said. “A quarterback’s job is simply to get the ball in the right person’s hands on a run play and on a pass play. Right now, we’re struggling with that.”

Even with the competition ongoing, all three of the quarterbacks said it’s easy to lean on each other for advice and encouragement after any bad plays.

“When they get on me, it’s not really negative,” Berry said. “It’s more positive like, ‘Keep your head up and move on to the next play,’ and stuff like that.”

The Firebirds will continue in the offseason with 7-on-7 drills and Lisher wants the quarterbacks to continue working on their rushing attack and option pitches.

But the positivity of the competition is something all of the quarterbacks pride themselves on.

“We’re like the heartbeat of the team,” Foster said. “Don’t want to seem cocky or anything, but we’ve got to keep everybody else up. If we’re down, then everybody else is going to be down. That’s why we always encourage each other.”