Brady Davidson threw one interception at Northern Illinois’ spring game on Saturday, while Jalen Macon threw two.

Protecting the ball is a key metric for any quarterback, and in the closest simulation to a game situation anyone is going to see until Sept. 5 at Iowa, Davidson won that battle.

But a closer look shows why Macon looked more the part of a starting quarterback after he and Team NIU beat Davidson and Team Huskies 17-10.

Let’s preface all this by saying interim coach Rob Harley said after the game Saturday, there is no frontrunner for the position.

“I would say not right now,” Harley said. “Each one of them, decision making is paramount ... even if that means throw it away or punt. We have the punt in the playbook. We want to continue to work their situations. We’re going to need them both.”

That’s the company line. But Macon, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound redshirt senior transfer in his third year with the Huskies after transferring from Arkansas-Pine Bluff, seems more ready for the start.

Macon came out and, after Davidson led Team Huskies to a field goal on its opening drive, led Team NIU to a touchdown. Macon had a beautiful pass on the run, throwing across his body to DeAree Rogers for a 29-yard gain to get his team moving.

He hit Rogers again for seven, then froze the defense on a perfectly executed draw for the first down. Inside the 10, he hit Telly Johnson for what looked like a touchdown, but Johnson was ruled down. The running back ended up taking it in from the three-yard line for the lead.

His first interception came late in the first half and, for a check in the negative column, probably took at least three points off the board for Team NIU.

Macon threw a bomb to Kenji Lewis, trying to get Team NIU into opposing territory. Lewis made the grab on the sideline. Amari Williams wrestled the ball away from Lewis after a 35-yard pickup.

In an actual game situation, the call likely would have been overturned for happening after the play was dead. Even if it wasn’t, it was an effort play by Williams and had nothing to do with Macon.

Then there’s an insane stretch early in the fourth quarter of a 10-all tie that ended up deciding the game. Each quarterback threw an interception. One seemed more egregious to me. You be the judge.

With Team NIU on the move, Yassine Falke intercepted Macon on a pass intended for Lewis. Lewis didn’t give up on the play and slapped the ball out of Falke’s hands. The two raced for the ball, but Falke got their first.

On the first play of the ensuing drive, the true sophomore threw an interception. True freshman linebacker Jack Murray read the pass all the way.

Macon took advantage of the short field, eventually running it in for a touchdown and a 17-10 lead.

Davidson had 10:14 left when he got the ball back, but went 3-and-out. He had a late chance and led Team Huskies, but Amari Washington got through for a sack on him in the final minute, and his late throw into the endzone was just past Tavarias Coles.

If there was a second issue with Davidson, it was that he was sacked way too often. He was sacked on the first play of the game. Zach Morrisroe got him. Micah Cook got him. Heck, Washington almost had an interception on the final drive.

But that can be chalked up to Davidson’s line having an off day or the Team NIU defense having a great one. For a quarterback in a system that values mobility, getting hit that often is a problem.

Davidson’s interception after getting the ball back was way too familiar from an NIU offense that’s been among the worst in the country.

Obviously, one spring game among 15 practices isn’t the be-all and end-all of quarterback assessment, especially by one decidedly non-expert who hasn’t had full access to the other 14.

Davidson threw one interception. Macon threw two. But on the field and away from the stats, the results looked the other way around.