JaMarcus Russell hasn't turned the ball over in two preseason appearances for Oakland. (Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

Oakland Raiders coach Tom Cable has decided that young JaMarcus Russell will be the team's starting quarterback when their season kicks off on Sept. 14, not veteran Jeff Garcia.

"I think we're fortunate [Russell] is getting better, he's progressing the way you want him to," Cable said late Sunday. "[He's] not perfect yet and I would say at this point, he's the quarterback of the Oakland Raiders."

Russell, 24, has shown flashes of the talent he demonstrated in college after being selected first overall in the 2007 draft, but also immaturity.

The former LSU quarterback has thrown for 15 touchdowns and 2,796 yards in 19 games, with 12 interceptions.

He has completed 65 per cent of his passes in two preseason appearances this summer, with no interceptions.

It was expected there'd be some competition for the starter's job but Garcia, 39, has been hampered by a calf injury and only made a brief appearance in Saturday's loss to San Francisco. He did not play the week before against Dallas.

Started as backup

The veteran will likely be unfazed by the decision. He has started as the backup in other NFL stops, only to assume the starter's role during the season.

Garcia left the Calgary Stampeders and the CFL after a Grey Cup win in 1998, going on to spend five largely productive seasons with San Francisco. Since leaving the 49ers in 2004, he has played for Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia and Tampa Bay.

He has thrown for 161 touchdowns and 25,537 yards, with 83 interceptions, in his NFL career. He has also rushed for 2,142 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Charlie Frye and Bruce Gradkowski, both of whom have experience starting games in the NFL, are battling for the No. 3 job for the Raiders.

Cable, meanwhile, is the subject of an NFL investigation after a report that Raiders assistant Randy Hanson was sent to the hospital recently after an alleged altercation with the head coach.