The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1137844
JULY 2019 ■ 51 QUARTERBACKS BY MATT CARTER N C State head coach Dave Doeren is no stranger to quarter- back competitions. When he was hired, future NFL quarterback Mike Glen- non was about to start his last game for the Pack in the Music City Bowl. Vying to replace him the following preseason camp were former Colorado State transfer Pete Thomas and Arkansas grad transfer Brandon Mitchell, who was leaving the Razorbacks after playing receiver there to pursue one more chance under center. That season did not turn out too well. The combination of Mitchell and Thomas led NC State to a 3-9 overall record and went winless in the ACC slate. After two successful years with Jacoby Brissett, the Pack had to find his replacement when he was drafted by the New England Patriots. Originally the competition was between Jalan McClendon and Jakobi Meyers, but an offseason addition named Ryan Finley, a grad transfer from Boise State, changed the mix. Finley would eventually beat out McClendon, and Meyers moved to receiver. That QB competition could not have ended better. Finley led the Pack to back-to-back nine-win seasons, and only Philip Rivers had a more productive career in Raleigh statistically. Meanwhile, Meyers became a standout receiver who earned first-team All-ACC laurels. Doeren is hoping that quarterback competition No. 3 will go much like No. 2 did, and the talent on the roster suggests that it could. Redshirt sophomores Matthew McKay and Bailey Hockman and redshirt freshman Devin Leary are the chief partici- pants in a battle that will likely continue right up to the opener against East Carolina Aug. 31. First-year quarterbacks coach Kurt Roper arrived in the win- ter to replace Eli Drinkwitz, who became the head coach at Appa- lachian State. Roper has an im- pressive pedigree working with signal-callers. In his first experience coach- ing quarterbacks, he tutored fu- ture NFL No. 1 overall pick Eli Manning at Ole Miss. In 2005, he coached sixth-round choice Andre Woodson of Kentucky. As Duke's offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach from 2008- 13, Roper mentored Thaddeus Lewis, a six-year NFL performer who became just the second to reach 10,000 career passing yards in the ACC following Rivers. He also coached Sean Renfree, a seventh-round pick for the Atlanta Falcons in 2013, in Durham. Roper is impressed with the mentality of his three signal-callers. "I think the first thing is they understood it is a competition," Roper said. "I think they approached it that way and had the right mindset to understand: this is a marathon, not a sprint, to making this decision. … We have some talented guys to work through. "It's an offense that has thrown the football quite a bit and is still going to throw the football. These guys have to spend a lot of time preparing for those types of things, and I think we've got the ability to do that." McKay is the local product from Raleigh Wakefield ,who com- pleted 7 of 8 passes for 87 yards and ran 13 times for 36 yards and a score in mop-up duty a year ago. "Matt's got a high level of understanding of the system and is a competitor by nature," Roper said. "I think he really understands the situation and is working at it. "What Matt is doing at a really high level right now is being decisive in the passing game and getting the ball out of his hands." Leary is a former four-star quarterback who was selected to the prestigious Nike Elite 11 Quarterback Camp in the summer before his senior year and played in the Polynesian All-American Bowl after it. He finished his prep career at Timber Creek High in Sick- lerville, N.J., as New Jersey's all-time leader in passing yards and touchdowns, and the state's two-time Gatorade Player of the Year. "I think he learned from that redshirt year [last season]," Roper explained. "It was beneficial in the sense that he's got control of Year-By-Year Passing Stats Year Yards TD INT 2018 4,071 25 11 2017 3,580 17 6 2016 3,387 20 12 2015 2,740 20 6 2014 2,652 24 6 2013 2,890 14 15 2012 4,031 31 17 2011 3,120 32 12 2010 3,655 28 14 2009 3,275 32 13 ■ PRESEASON ANALYSIS ★★★★ Among country's best; ★★★ Among ACC's best; ★★ Solid or has potential; ★ Too unproven Starters ★★ NC State feels good about its options, with each bringing some different elements to the table. Redshirt sophomore Matthew McKay has athleticism that the offense did not have with Ryan Finley last year, and redshirt freshman Devin Leary has a cannon arm. Redshirt sophomore Bailey Hockman has grown up around the sport with his father Kyle coaching him in high school and has big-time prep and even college football experiences thanks to his time at Florida State. Between the three the potential is there, but it is also an unknown until it translates to game success. Experience ★ McKay received a little bit of time last season to get his feet wet, but that is the extent of live game action that any of the three have thus far in college. Depth ★★★1/2 The best part of this quarterback competition for NC State is that it has viable options. All three bring good credentials to the equation. It may even be a situation where the starter in game one is not a given to be in that role the entire season. NC State also brought in touted three-star Ty Evans as an early enrollee. Evans was headed to Colorado before a coaching change there led him to switch schools. While Evans likely redshirts, the Pack may have as much depth at quarterback as it's had in a while. Overall grade ★★ Potential is the word when it comes to quarterback. The options look promising, but how they perform on Saturdays is what counts. Quarterback Roster STARTER No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 16 Bailey Hockman R-So. 6-2 208 Powder Springs, Ga. As a redshirt freshman in the spring game at Florida State, Hockman was 11-of-22 passing for 203 yards and a touchdown, and led his squad to a 31-13 win. At NC State's spring game in April, the lefty was 12 of 23 for 135 yards and a score. OR 13 Devin Leary R-Fr. 6-2 202 Sicklerville, N.J. The strong-armed Leary finished his decorated high school career with the most career passing yards (9,672) and touchdowns (117) in New Jersey prep football history. He was 12-of-23 passing for 104 yards and a score with an interception in his first Kay Yow Spring Game. OR 7 Matthew McKay R-So. 6-4 210 Raleigh Ryan Finley's understudy last season led the most touchdown drives in the Kay Yow Spring Game. McKay completed 14 of 24 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown, and also ran four times for 28 yards and a score. WAITING IN THE WINGS No. Name Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown 15 Ty Evans Fr. 6-3 200 Colorado Springs, Colo. Has gained about 15 pounds since arriving in the spring. Originally committed to Arkansas and then Colorado before coaching changes at both places led him to NC State. 14 Jamie Shaw Fr. 6-4 219 Sanford, N.C. Walk-on from Sandhills High.