5th Anniversary Kickoff: Big South QBs 2015

[bjtheflamesfan]

Let me first say that I thank all of the posters for their kind words for my annual position previews. Its the first sign for me that football is on the horizon, and, while an inexact science, I enjoy the opportunity to put in a little research and give the Big South fans of this board something to discuss as we head into the final couple months of the offseason.

With that said, We kick off the 5th annual BJtheFlamesFan Big South position previews with a look at the signal callers, and of course it starts with the boys from Myrtle Beach:

Coastal Carolina

Alex Ross 271-422 3389 Yards 20 TDs 7 INT (2014 Big South All Conference First Team, 2014 Big South Offensive Player of the Year)
Michael Church 6-8 31 Yards 0 TD 0 INT

Ross pretty much is the fuel for the Chants offense, throwing for over 3,000 yards and finishing second on the squad in rushing as well, on the way to OPOY honors and a 7th place finish in the race for the Walter Payton Award for national player of the year. He will once again be battling with Josh Woodrum (more on him later) for first team QB honors in the conference.

The big question mark is at the #2 spot. Church is the only other QB returning in 2015 that has attempted a pass, but look for sophomores Christian Hart and Tyler Keane as well as redshirt freshman Josh Stilley to all give him a fair battle for that position, although I expect Church to win it ahead of the Furman opener

Charleston Southern

Austin Brown 126-241 1848 Yards 11 TDs 11 INTs
Daniel Croghan III 20-34 212 Yards 2 TDs 1 INT

Brown, the transfer from the since reborn UAB football team, came in and took the starting job by the throat in fall camp and started all 12 games, leading the Bucs to 5 straight wins to start the year and the first win over Liberty in Lynchburg since 2000. He will no doubt be the starter once again in 2015.

DC3 has had an interesting route in his time in the blue and gold down in North Charleston. He redshirted in 2012, started the final 6 games in 2013 (including an upset win over Coastal Carolina) and then lost the starting job to the aforementioned Brown and appeared in 8 games (bucs90, if Im not mistaken, didn't he have a season ending injury or something?) as the backup. I expect him to continue in that role and get a chance to retake the starting job in 2016.

Gardner-Webb
Tyrell Maxwell 11-33 77 Yards 0 TDs 4 INTs
Chase Arrington No 2014 Stats

The Runnin Bulldogs will have a new signal caller this fall after Lucas Beatty's graduation. Maxwell went into the spring as the top returning backup battling Arrington and Nat Dunlap. Dunlap is no longer on the roster and the only other QB is true freshman Brody Rollins. If T-Max can keep his turnovers to a minimum (finishing with a completion/interception ratio of just south of 3:1 last year)), he can give them a needed boost with his dual threat ability

Arrington will likely be the backup with the loss of Dunlap, unless Rollins absolutely blows the coaches away in fall camp.

Liberty
Josh Woodrum 210-339 2947 Yards 19 TDs 10 INTs (2014 Big South All Conference Second Team)
Stephon Masha 42-66 526 Yards 5 TDs 4 INTs

Woodrum has a chance to finish his outstanding (albeit frustrating at times to some Flames fans) career as the all-time leading passer in Liberty history, entering the season 2,054 yards away from Robby Justino's mark of 9,548, and another 452 from being the first player in Flames history to throw for over 10,000 career yards (a mark he could hit with a deep playoff run) and 13th in the history of I-AA/FCS football.

Masha stepped right into the starter's role after Woodrum went down due to a leg injury and subsequent infection and all he did was lead Liberty to an upset over then #1 Coastal Carolina and earn the Flames their first ever NCAA postseason berth, and then their first playoff win over James Madison. With Javan Shashaty leaving the team (best wishes to him and his new wife down in FL), and 2014 signee JT Bradwell no longer on the roster, it will be extra important for both QBs to remain healthy if the Flames want to have a chance at their first outright Big South title since 2008.

I would like to extend a welcome once again to Kennesaw State as they join the Big South in football in 2015. As there are no prior stats for the Owls since 2015 is their first year sponsoring football, I will list the two quarterbacks with the most "experience" on the roster:

Kennesaw State
Trey White No 2014 Stats (Transfer from The Citadel)
Jantzen Jeffrey No 2014 Stats

The Owls make their debut against fellow startup East Tennessee State this fall and will have a QB making his first career start in White most likely after he starred in the Black-Gold game this past spring. The transfer from Atlanta, GA showed ability with his legs as well as his arm, and will be an interesting one to watch this fall as well as his likely backup in Jeffrey

Monmouth

Ben Onett No 2014 Stats (Injury)
Cody Williams No 2014 Stats

The Hawks lose their top 2 QBs in UMass transfer Brandon Hill and his backup Greg DePugh and will likely lean heavily on the running game as neither top returner has played significant time. Ray, the Rutgers transfer, did attempt a pass last season, but sophomore Williams likely will be battling with the returning Onett for the starting job when the Hawks open practice for the fall in early August.

Presbyterian
Kaleb Griffin 18-33 172 Yards 0 TDs 1 INT
TAmyn Garrick No 2014 Stats

The Blue Hose are back to square one in a sense after their starter the last two seasons in Heys McMath, left the program as well as the game of football. Griffin and Garrick do bring senior leadership to a group that includes 2 redshirt freshmen, 2 true freshmen and a true sophomore.


This year, I am abandoning team rankings for all positions and sticking with individual rankings.

1. Alex Ross CCU
2. Josh Woodrum LU
3. Austin Brown CSU
4. Tyrell Maxwell GWU
5. Kaleb Griffin, PC
6. Stephon Masha LU
7. Daniel Croghan III CSU
8. Trey White KSU
9. Michael Church CCU
10 Chase Arrington GWU

[dbackjon]

Good write-up.

It will be as always interesting to see how the rookies do.

There are three teams with experienced QB's, and their teams should be 1-2-3 in the standings after the season.

[bucs90]

Yeah man DC3 got hurt. That campus has some kind of curse on QBs. In 2000...CSU had a team many thought was an 8-9 win team...with former Oklahoma starter Jake Sills tranferring. He went down early and they went 5-6 (however...did return for that 25-0 win at Liberty). Same in 2002 will All Conference candidate Darren Swiggett. Went down in game 1...CSU went 4-8 with several late game losses that they may have won otherwise. That cost Coach David Dowd the job.

13 years later...we finally have depth!!! Thats the key to CSUs recent success. Depth. This year we are blessed with at least 2 QBs who can bring us some wins.

[bjtheflamesfan]

The big ? for me with CSU is gonna come in the area I'm covering in part 2: the RBs. Remember, Brown was theirsecond leading rusher and they guy who was first? graduated...

[bucs90]

The big ? for me with CSU is gonna come in the area I'm covering in part 2: the RBs. Remember, Brown was theirsecond leading rusher and they guy who was first? graduated...

Yep. Replacing Reyes will be hard. All time leading rusher. Im not that close to the program but heard the former UNC Charlotte guy is gonna do just fine.

Historically CSU has always been a RB by committee program. Thats why Reyes broke the record...we've never been a primary back team. Always had a lot of situational guys. But...maybe we just never had that really good all purpose back.

My concern...as it is every year...is the OL. CSU has always struggled there. Solid defense and good skill players have always been available even in the horrible years. This programs peaks and valleys have always gone with the OL play.

[CSU 33]

I look forward to our progress on offence:
• Returning most OL
• Returning most RBs
• Greatly improved WR core. Returning most and getting back the guys that were injured and didn’t play
• Returning QB
I see this offence being much more powerful than last year. Austin (QB) was a Pro-style/spread guy up until last year, still he had good productivity. Hurt (key) receivers return from injuries, much improved in this area. We’ll spread the field even more…

[bjtheflamesfan]

One correction: I said Austin Brown was the second leading rusher for the Bucs last year. That was incorrect...he was the 4th. my apologies for the error

[bucs90]

One correction: I said Austin Brown was the second leading rusher for the Bucs last year. That was incorrect...he was the 4th. my apologies for the error

No problem. Just get Liberty to flop for us when they come to CSU and all is forgiven haha! Seriously. ..football season cant come quick enough.

[FUBeAR5467]

This programs peaks and valleys have always gone with the OL play.

They ALL do.

[bucs90]

This programs peaks and valleys have always gone with the OL play.

They ALL do.

True. But id argue the difficulty recruiting OL vs other positions is based on facilities which CSU has always struggled with. But...skill positions we've always been pretty good.....afterall...we're in one of the best cities in America and at the beach so recruiting is easy.

OL is crucial everywhere. I just think CSUs situation has even less margin for error for several reasons.

[bodoyle]

Agree with your rankings, but maybe put Chase Thrasher in place of Church for CCU. The kid has all the talent in the world, and seems to have his head on straight as well.

IMO, no trash talking intended (yet ) Ross is heads and shoulders the best in the conference and one of the best in the nation. Alex is a tremendous combination of skill - both mentally and physically, talent, leadership, coachability (not even a word), and academic success (working on his MBA).

As BJ stated, he threw for 3,300 last year with basically all new WRs. Looking at his past 3 years he should be somewhere around 3,700 this yr.

[bjtheflamesfan]

When I set up the previews I base it off the previous year's stats and while only attempting 8 passes, Church did log stats and Thrasher didn't.

[bodoyle]

When I set up the previews I base it off the previous year's stats and while only attempting 8 passes, Church did log stats and Thrasher didn't.

Ah, ok makes sense.