Players Mentioned
Position Preview: The Quarterbacks
8/25/2015 8:29:00 AM | Football
Upshaw ready to step in now that it's his turn
The Georgia Southern football team set the bar extremely high in its first season of FBS play. By winning the Sun Belt Conference title, the Eagles duplicated what just two other teams in the history of college football had accomplished, and became the only team to do it with an undefeated league record. With 13 starters back, five on the offensive side of the ball and eight on defense, Georgia Southern will try to meet and surpass that standard in 2015 by reaching the first bowl game in school history.
With the season opener at West Virginia getting closer each day, GSEagles.com will break down each position group now that camp is over and the regular season is rapidly approaching. Today, we take a brief look at the quarterbacks, led by quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Doug Ruse.
COACH RUSE ON THE QUARTERBACKS:
"Looking back, it's great that Favian got as much experience as he did last season. We really weren't playing him last year with that in mind to get him ready, we were playing him because he's a heck of a player and deserved to be on the field. He's shown he can run the offense and lead the team. We're very confident in him running the offense and in what he can do. Vegas and Monteo have been battling back and forth. One day, one will play better and then the next, the other will be a little better. It's been a great competition and it's made both of them better. We'll continue to let those guys compete probably up until game time to see who is in the fold there. What makes Kevin special is his toughness. He will go out there and compete on a daily basis. He loves the game and he loves the practice and he loves the competition. We've got a couple of weeks to get him ready and look forward to seeing him early in the season."
BRIEFLY:
• The Eagles return both quarterbacks who took almost all the snaps last season in juniors Kevin Ellison and Favian Upshaw, but Ellison will miss the first two games after being ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA. The good news is Upshaw saw a lot of action last season in the Eagle offense and is ready to roll.
• A second-team All-Sun Belt selection a season ago, Ellison, twice named the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week, registered 1,096 rushing yards to go along with 1,001 passing yards. Upshaw, considered the fastest player on the team, threw for 285 yards and two scores and rushed for 385 yards and two touchdowns.
• Vegas Harley and Monteo Garrett will serve as the backups and each bring a unique threat to the offense. Harley moved back from safety to quarterback after the first scrimmage of the spring, and his athleticism and football IQ allow for him to play on either side of the ball, wherever the biggest need exists.
• The quarterback position is a dual threat in the Eagle offense, which means there needs to be depth. Eagle Nation needs no convincing of that after watching third-stringer Ezayi Youyoute come off the bench and run for 81 yards in the fourth quarter against UL-Monroe to lead the Eagles to a victory in the Sun Belt title game last season.
• Accuracy in throwing the ball down field will be a key for all the Eagle signal callers. Head coach Willie Fritz has said numerous times this year he'd like to see the Eagles average 60-70 more yards per game through the air this year.
• "We just feel like we're throwing the ball better," Fritz said. "Technically, the guys are better. They have been more accurate, I think we're just a better passing team, and that was a big-time point of emphasis for us in the spring."
Monday, Aug. 24 - LINEBACKERS
TODAY - QUARTERBACKS
Wednesday, Aug. 26 - SECONDARY
Thursday, Aug. 27 - TIGHT ENDS/H-BACKS
Friday, Aug. 28 - DEFENSIVE LINE
Saturday, Aug. 29 - RUNNING BACKS
Sunday, Aug. 30 - SPECIALISTS
Monday, Aug. 31 - OFFENSIVE LINE
Tuesday, Sept. 1 - WIDE RECEIVERS
