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- Nov 3, 2011
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College Football News seems to have more faith in Little Baby Jesus than most on this board (well, at least those not named Valid). Granted they are probably aren't as tuned into some of the rumors we have heard...
http://cfn.scout.com/2/1364882.html
| The Next Jameis Winston Is ... ? | ||||
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Share on twitterShare on facebook|More Sharing ServicesMore Who's the next Jameis Winston? Or Johnny Manziel? Or Marcus Mariota? | |||
Dec. 31 The Next Jameis or Johnny? E-mail Rich Cirminiello Follow me ... @RichCirminiello Earn a Ph.D. in college football … class is in session at Campus Insiders If Jameis Winston, Johnny Manziel and Marcus Mariota have taught us anything over the last two years, it’s that you no longer have to be an upperclassmen to excel at quarterback at this level. One year on the scout team was all the aforementioned trio needed to explode on to the scene and gobble up national honors and notoriety. Like no time in history, young hurlers are poised to hit the ground running shortly after arriving on their campus of choice. A little wide-eyed and raw, sure, but no longer overwhelmed by the prospect of leading a team of older teammates. Redshirt freshmen quarterbacks have won the last two Heisman Trophies, a notion that would have seemed outlandish just a few years ago. Who’s next in 2014? Which untested quarterback is ready to follow in the footsteps of Jameis and Johnny by taking the quantum leap from redshirt to rising star? 15. Kyle Bolin, Louisville While the Cards were hoping to have Teddy Bridgewater for one more year, they’ll instead be breaking in a first-time starter in 2014. Will Gardner was the backup in 2013 and the favorite to become Bridgewater’s successor, whenever that might be. Bolin is hoping to mount a challenge now that he’s healthy again following an ACL tear at the end of his high school career. He looks an awful lot like Bridgewater, long and lanky, with enough athleticism to avoid pressure and pick up a first down with his feet. 14. Conner Manning, Utah New offensive coordinator Dave Christensen has a long to-do list in Salt Lake City, beginning with the naming of a starting quarterback, especially if incumbent Travis Wilson’s career is indeed in jeopardy. Sophomore walk-on Adam Schulz succeeded Wilson late in the year, but hardly padlocked the job with his play. Manning made great progress in his debut season, remaining ahead of fellow rookie Brandon Cox, and was one snap away from burning his redshirt. Manning impressed the staff with his poise, accuracy and maturity for such a young player. 13. Austin Allen, Arkansas After completing less than half of their passes in 2013, the Hogs are openly searching for answers behind center. Yeah, Arkansas will continue to be a run-first system under Bret Bielema, but more consistency from the quarterbacks is a must. While sophomore Brandon Allen started 11 games, he also left the door open in the process. Might younger brother Austin step up to fill the void? Yeah, it’s a longshot, based on the experience gap, but the Razorback staff will be open to all possibilities once the team reconvenes in the spring. 12. Riley Ferguson, Tennessee The Vols figure to have a free-for-all at quarterback … again … next season. Butch Jones used three different signal-callers in 2013, Justin Worley, Joshua Dobbs and Nathan Peterman, all of whom have eligibility remaining. Ferguson was held back and allowed to develop on the scout team. The three-star recruit from across the border in North Carolina enters the fray in earnest in the spring, looking to light a fire beneath the SEC’s least efficient passing attack with his swagger and his strong arm. 11. Hayden Rettig, LSU The Tigers need a long-term successor to Zach Mettenberger. Rettig gets his first chance to compete for the high-profile gig. The four-star recruit from Los Angeles will face very stiff competition, namely rookie Anthony Jennings, who started the Outback Bowl versus Iowa. Rettig, though, has the 6-3 frame and the arm strength to evolve into the kind of pocket passer that Les Miles and coordinator Cam Cameron really covet for running the offense. Baton Rouge will be the scene of an interesting competition once the team opens spring drills. 10. J.T. Barrett, Ohio State The Buckeyes knew they’d either be cranking up the Heisman hype machine or breaking out the training wheels, pending Braxton Miller’s decision about his future. Fortunately for OSU, Miller will stay for his senior year. Had Miller foregone his final year of eligibility, Ohio State would have parted ways with its top two quarterbacks of 2013. Cardale Jones would have been the new veteran, but Barrett was coming on very strong. Tough and athletically-gifted in the mold of Miller, he has also impressed the staff with his intelligence, poise and leadership, key attributes not easily taught to young quarterbacks. In the event of an emergency, he’ll be ready to go. 9. Asiantii Woulard, UCLA While the Bruins sure didn’t want to lose third-year sophomore Brett Hundley to the NFL Draft, they were preparing for all situations that could have arisen. A central part of the contingency plan was Woulard, who originally committed to South Florida before deciding to head west. He made exponential growth in his first year in Westwood, turning heads on the scout team with his retention of the offense and his all-around athletic ability. Woulard has only scratched the surface of his enormous potential, and is a cornerstone of the future at UCLA. He’ll get one more year to learn behind Hundley, one of the premier quarterbacks in the country. 8. Brice Ramsey, Georgia Aaron Murray is leaving behind enormous shoes that need to be filled next fall in Athens. Junior Huston Mason is the odds-on favorite to maintain the job he held for the Georgia Tech game and the Gator Bowl with Nebraska. However, Mason’s seniority won’t keep Ramsey—or current redshirt freshman Faton Bauta—from competing for the opening. The nation’s seventh-ranked quarterback of 2013, Ramsey has a live arm, and he’s spent his first season on campus packing on muscle and getting a better grasp on the system. 7. Mitch Trubisky , North Carolina Though Bryn Renner has exhausted his eligibility, the Heels are going to be in good hands at quarterback for years to come. Sophomore Marquise Williams is the likely heir apparent, playing very well after Renner suffered a season-ending injury. However, Trubisky is too talented to immediately be relegated to the bench. Ohio’s Mr. Football has a firm grasp on the system and is a perfect fit for the up-tempo attack run by Larry Fedora. Whichever dual-threat wins this battle in the spring will compel Carolina to run a lot more read-option in 2014. 6. Johnny Stanton , Nebraska Tommy Armstrong spelled an injured Taylor Martinez last fall, but he’ll get challenged for the job in a few months. The Huskers are going to stage their first true quarterback derby in three years, with Stanton bucking to flatten the learning curve as quickly as possible. He’s a true dual-threat in the mold of a young Jake Locker, big and physical enough to run over defenders. Stanton’s evolution as a pocket passer will go a long way toward determining whether he’s the 2014 starter or Armstrong’s caddy. 5. Anu Solomon, Arizona Solomon is the quarterback of the future in Tucson, but does that future begin in 2014? While B.J. Denker has played his final game as a Wildcat, it’s unlikely that head coach Rich Rodriguez will decide on his successor prior to the summer. Solomon is one of a number of candidates vying for the job, including transfers Conner Brewer and Jerrard Randall, from Texas and LSU, respectively. Solomon lacks experience, but fits to a tee a zone-read system that asks its quarterback to be athletic, elusive and difficult for which to prepare. 4. Troy Williams, Washington Cyler Miles has the inside track to supplant Keith Price in Seattle. An offseason and a coaching change, though, can do funny things to conventional wisdom. Chris Petersen has taken over at U-Dub, and one of his first orders of business will be to settle on a quarterback. While Miles earned valuable reps as a rookie, Williams is busting at the seams with ability. He’s a multi-faceted playmaker, with the contagious demeanor and winning attitude needed to convince a staff that he’s ready to lead a team through a nasty Pac-12 schedule. 3. Cooper Bateman or Luke Del Rio , Alabama AJ McCarron has exhausted his eligibility in Tuscaloosa. The Tide could be very young at quarterback in 2014. Rising senior Blake Sims was the backup in 2013, but, he lacks the upside of the kids, like Bateman and Del Rio, who’ve soaked up as much knowledge as possible from McCarron. Bateman arrived more ballyhooed, a four-star standout from Salt Lake City. Del Rio, though, has impressed with his smarts and his eagerness to learn. The preferred walk-on—and son of Denver Broncos defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio—passed on scholarship offers to play for ‘Bama. Keep an eye on gifted Florida State QB Jacob Coker, too, who could change the dynamic of this race if he decides to transfer before the start of the season. 2. Kevin Olsen , Miami Quarterback U. is in the market for a quarterback of the future. Now that Stephen Morris has graduated, the ‘Canes have a decision to make that will greatly impact the direction of the 2014 squad. Does the program hand the ball to steady upperclassmen Ryan Williams or does it pop the cork on Olsen, the elite recruit from last February? It shapes up as a huge offseason for the rookie, who’ll need to convince the coaching staff that he’s developed enough, both physically and emotionally, to lead the offense on opening day. 1. Max Browne , USC Did you like last year’s three-man race to replace Matt Barkley? Well, the sequel is just around the corner. Browne, Max Wittek and incumbent Cody Kessler will be back at it again this spring and summer in the battle of the former blue-chippers. The difference this time around is that Browne will have a full year of practice under his belt and a new decision-maker to impress, Steve Sarkisian. The nation’s top-rated passer of 2013, who Sark failed to land at U-Dub, is the prototypical Trojan drop back passer, with the potential to be great early in his career. |
http://cfn.scout.com/2/1364882.html
