QUARTERBACKS
are redshirt sophomore Caleeb Roberson (6-1, 180), the Georgia transfer, and true freshman David McCullum (6-1, 180), out of Waterford, Mich. Those two are dual-threats, as is Carter.
“Three of them are pretty close in what they do; (Carter, Roberson and McCullum) can run,” Minnick said. “(Jordan) can throw it; he reminds me of (former AWC quarterback Emmanuel) Gant — he can throw the ball and he can make all the throws, we’ve just got to make sure he’s accurate.
“Those four kids are dynamic enough that you can get some stuff done.”
Carter, who ran for 1,021 yards and
17 touchdowns as a high school senior, in particular, has turned heads with his playmaking ability.
“Jacquez made a run (Friday night in practice) that you’re going, ‘Wow, go ahead and rush us and if he finds a crease, goodbye,’” Minnick said. “It’s hard to game plan for a kid that can run, so that helps us out, especially when our running back situation is kind of iffy right now.”
As for the plan for the quarterbacks’ roles, Minnick said it’s likely that he will redshirt or grayshirt one, though which one is still to be determined.
Roberson, Minnick said, is likely to play somewhere: “I’ve got him on some special teams already; he’s got to be on the field because he’s such a dynamic athlete.”
And it’s possible that multiple quarterbacks
— whether it’s Jordan and Carter, or some other combination — are part of the game plan, with their strengths utilized in different packages as was the case with Perkins and Colletto last year.
Right now, it’s all about helping the group adjust to the college game.
“You saw us out there speeding stuff up, trying to get in their mind and yelling at them and this and that so their minds are flustered, because if they can handle that, they can handle game situations,” Minnick said. “If they can’t handle that, then you know you’ve got to go with somebody else.
“And they’ve been doing a pretty good job. They get frustrated every once in a while, but you know, they’re young. To have a freshman quarterback, it’s tough.”