Quarterback Centeio gets opening start for Rams
Dual-threat transfer threw five TD passes last season for Temple
Likely temporar y. Maybe long-term. There is truly no way of telling, especially considering COVID-19’S capacity to shuffle a roster at any juncture.
What we do know is redshirt junior quarterback Todd Centeio star ted Colorado State’s Thursday night’s delayed seaso -opener at Fresno State (0-1).
Following Steve Addazio’s midweek comments claiming how fellow gunslinger Patrick O’brien “missed a fair amount of time through no fault of his own,” the Twitter-sphere began rumbling on Thursday morning regarding Centeio’s potential firststring duties against the Bulldogs.
The Loveland Reporter-Herald then confirmed through independent sources that the former Temple quar terback would run CSU’S offense at Bull dog Stadium.
Here are some quick facts to keep in mind about Centeio as the Rams kicked of f under the lights in California:
Viable backup at Temple
Though Centeio mainly operated as a reser ve in three seasons with the Owls, the dual-threat signal-caller cer tainly made the most of his oppor tunities of f the bench.
Centeio completed 34-51 passing attempts for five touchdowns and only one interception in 10 appearances as a redshirt sophomore backup in 2019. While maintaining the No. 2 slot on Temple’s depth char t, the Florida native also accumulated 155 rushing yards on 47 carries last season.
One year prior, he drew his first and only career star t against Addazio’s prior home in Boston College
–– during which the Owls rolled out a three-quarterback package to commence the action. Centeio competed in a single-season most 12 contests in 2018 upon tossing 149 passing yards and two touchdowns through the air along with 20 carries for 82 yards and one score on the ground.
Well-regarded recruit
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound quar terback enjoyed a wildly productive senior campaign at Class 7A William T. Dwyer High School in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
Before signing and redshir ting at Temple in 2017, the versatile athlete amassed 2,344 passing yards and 31 touchdowns to conclude his high school career. Centeio posted four rushing scores as a senior as well.
Regarded as a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com, the highly touted individual hoarded 13 reported FBS scholarship of fers –– including Miami, NC State, Cincinnati, Indiana and Toledo. Centeio also obtained interest from the likes of Alabama.
Praise from csu staff, players
According to Addazio, Centeio and O’brien have been splitting first-string reps evenly since the beginning of fall training camp in September.
Although, given the head coach’s aforementioned comments concerning O’brien’s availability, there is undoubtedly a chance Centeio heads into the
2020 season boasting more practice snaps than O’brien.
Regardless, the Rams’ staff has regularly gushed over Centeio’s progress amid the quar terback’s immediate emergence.
“Toddy’s come in and adapted, learned a new system,” Addazio described on Tuesday. “He didn’t have any spring ball. I think he’s extremely athletic, a really good leader. So he has a lot of good things going for him. He’s made a bunch of plays.
When the Temple transfer presumably takes the field on Thursday night with two seasons of eligibility remaining, he’ll do so while holding CSU’S complete confidence.
That includes players as well.
“I have complete confidence in whoever they pick,” senior running back Marcus Mcelroy said on Monday. “They’re different just from a standpoint of Todd’s a little bit more mobile than Patrick is. But at the same time, they both have leadership qualities... they both have the ability to sort of drive the team really to where we want to go. So I think whoever they put in there is a great decision. I’ll have confidence in both of them, and I couldn’t ask for two better quarter backs right now.”