Zach Wells has seen one Quad-City Steamwheelers game at the i wireless Center.

Saturday, there'll be a nice contingent on hand to watch him likely watch another.

The new Steamwheelers backup quarterback from Muscatine is looking for tickets to accomodate a group of 18 family and friends for his home debut against the Manchester Wolves.

His dad is even eating some tickets to a St. Louis Cardinals game to be on hand.

"It's going to be hard make all those people happy, but I'm going to do my best," Wells said. "It is exciting for me and I am grateful for this opportunity."

The first "hometown" Wheeler in at least a few seasons, Wells joined the club last week when veteran starter J.J. Raterink was placed on injured reserve with a lingering concussion.

He had been on the Steamwheelers' radar since December, when he impressed at a local tryout camp.

The rookie is fresh off what amounted to a disappointing career at Western Illinois University, where he started only three games, completing 18 of 40 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns.

That was after an outstanding prep career that included a senior season when he was named Quad-City Times Player of the Year.

He started his senior season opener last fall, but was mildly injured early in that contest and then didn't get his job back.

"For some reason, me and Coach (Mark) Hendrickson didn't get along," he said of the WIU offensive coordinator who served as interim head coach while head coach Don Patterson was on a health leave. "But I met a lot of good people there and did the best I could. That's all I can ask for."

He did get one final start when his replacement was injured. He threw two touchdown passes and ran for other in the most lopsided Missouri Valley Conference win in WIU history, a late-season 56-0 blowout of Indiana State.

Wells also got a chance to play receiver during a Senior Day contest vs. Illinois State, and he led the squad with a pair of receptions for 56 yards.

Steamwheelers coaches Troy Biladeau and Shon King like that touch of athleticism in their 6-foot-3, 220-pound quarterback.

"What would help him is he can run," said offensive coordinator King. "That's a different aspect Zach brings to the table."

They like his strong left arm much, much more.

"He has got to learn the game, learn the offense," said head coach Troy Biladeau, but he added, "He has an absolute cannon for an arm. Strong, strong arm."

Biladeau said Wells needs to learn the concepts of timing and touch, but believes the strapping young QB has a future in the af2 game.

For his part, Wells finds the indoor game interesting and not all that different from the one he played on Saturday afternoons in Macomb.

"It's a lot quicker, but it's the same concept," he said of eight-man football. "You have got to get the ball to the receiver as quickly as possible. You've just got to find the open guy."

Right now, Wells is just trying to do what he can to help the Wheelers stop a franchise-worst six-game losing streak.

Mostly, that means offering encouragement while backing up Brian Zbydniewski.

But he hopes to convince kicker Matt Denny he can be a placekick holder. And he even has taken a few practice reps at receiver this week.

Biladeau doesn't relish the thought of using his big-armed thrower in a catching role. But he does see a future for Wells behind center.

"I think he definitely can play in this league," said the coach. "He's obviously got to have some experience at some point. He's got to play (but) he is progressing."