The job descriptions for Pat Devlin and Chris Whitney are the same.

They are quarterbacks - Devlin for Delaware and Whitney for Villanova - entrusted with leading their teams into opposing end zones.

The way they go about it, though, is quite different.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Devlin has the big arm and what scouts like to call "a presence in the pocket." The junior leads the tough Colonial Athletic Association in passing yards (225.7 a game) and total offense (238.2). Mostly, he airmails his touchdowns.

Whitney plies his trade in a slightly more violent manner. The 6-2, 230-pound junior would just as soon lower his head and take on a linebacker than run out of bounds. He leads Villanova's explosive offense with 590 yards rushing, averaging 4.5 yards a carry.

Whatever approach is more effective could go a long way in determining the outcome of tomorrow's game at Villanova Stadium.

Aside from it being a long-standing rivalry that, as Wildcats coach Andy Talley said, gets the blood flowing, the game carries plenty of significance. Villanova (9-1, 6-1) can clinch the CAA title and earn an automatic bid and likely top four seed in the 16-team Football Championship Subdivision (Division I-AA) playoffs.

The Wildcats are ranked No. 2 behind Southern Illinois in the FCS coaches poll and are a lock for the playoffs regardless of the outcome. By winning, they would have at least two, and perhaps three, home games in the postseason.

Delaware (6-4, 4-3) is ranked No. 25 and has little chance of making the playoffs. But defeating Villanova in their final game would certainly ease the sting of some tough losses for the Blue Hens.

"The guys want to show we can play well against a really good team," Devlin said.

Devlin and Whitney are familiar names to area football enthusiasts. Devlin was rated among the top five quarterback prospects coming out of Downingtown East High. He originally committed to Miami, but signed with Penn State. After three years at Happy Valley - one a redshirt season - Devlin transferred to Delaware after last season because of lack of playing time behind Daryll Clark.

The Blue Hens have had success developing future NFL quarterbacks - the Ravens' Joe Flacco being the latest example - and Devlin has a good chance of becoming the next. He's currently ranked as the No. 8 quarterback prospect for the class of 2011 by NFLdraftscout.com.

"I couldn't be happier with the way things have turned out," said Devlin, recently honored as local college player of the year at Bert Bell Memorial Awards dinner. "I really like the situation I'm in."

Whitney, who was recruited by Temple and Rutgers, is not as high profile as Devlin, but the former St. Joseph's Prep star is in the midst of an outstanding career at Villanova. The Wildcats are 20-5 when he starts. All five losses came against top-15 teams. And even though he's known as a hard-nosed runner, he leads the CAA in passing efficiency.

"Chris is one of those dual-option kids and he's a very, very good runner," Talley said. "But he has really improved as a passer. He led us to come-from-behind wins against Temple and Richmond. He didn't come out of high school as a pure passer. He's also a tremendous leader and a lot of that is because of his toughness.

"Pat is really an outstanding passer. He's sort of that classic pocket passer with a terrific arm. He sees the whole field. He can run, but he's not normally a guy who's going to take off and hurt you like a lot of running quarterbacks. But he's athletic enough that he can pull it down and run and still hurt you.

"It's interesting," Talley added, "that two of the top quarterbacks to come out of the Philadelphia area in the last 10 years are going to go head-to-head."

Talley has tailored his offense around Whitney's dual skills. Less finesse. More smash-mouth.

"I think it [running] just came naturally to me," he said. "I'm always trying to get an extra yard. I think it pumps up not only the team but also the crowd when we're at home."

Whitney recalled meeting Devlin at a Maxwell Club function when both were in high school. Devlin, who attended a summer camp at Villanova when he was in peewee football, said he followed Whitney's career when Chris was at St. Joe's Prep. Whitney said he can understand why Devlin transferred.

"I think quarterbacks transfer more than guys at other positions," he said. "Every quarterback wants to play."

When Devlin decided to transfer, he had little choice but to go to a Division I-AA school so he could have two years of eligibility. If he'd transferred to a I-A school, he would have had to sit out this season and would have had one year of eligibility. So he's following in the footsteps of Flacco, who transferred to Delaware from Pitt.

"To tell you the truth, it's not all that much different," Devlin said, comparing I-A with I-AA. "Just a little louder [at Penn State], I guess. But football is football."

Contact staff writer Ray Parrillo at 215-854-2743 or rparrillo@phillynews.com.