Fall Camp Preview: Quarterbacks

There is just over 40 days left before the season opener vs. Sacramento State. The quarterback position again will be one of the main focal points of the team as it heads into fall camp. BarkBoard.com breaks down the depth chart as the team winds down summer workouts.

Starters Returning: (1) Tom Brandstater Players Lost: (1) Sean Norton

Head Coach Pat Hill has produced some great quarterbacks in his 10 years. Two of his former starters, Billy Volek and David Carr, are current NFL quarterbacks, the latter the No. 1 overall choice in the 2002 NFL Draft. In addition, four-year starter Paul Pinegar is the only quarterback in school history to lead his team to four straight bowl games. Moreover, he holds the school record for touchdown passes in a career. Nevertheless, Pinegar was not drafted nor does he hold the folklore of Hill’s first two starters.

Jr. Tom Brandstater (6-5, 220) is the incumbent and last year he was expected to continue the Bulldogs’ legacy of good quarterbacks. He never was able to get on track and finished last among WAC starters in passing efficiency. He had his best spring as a Bulldog in 2007. Moreover, he continues to look solid this summer.

The weight of the season rests on Brandstater’s shoulders and by all accounts, his outlook on this season is different from a year ago. No one disputes his physical attributes. He made throws in games last season few college quarterbacks could make. Equally, he made ill-advised throws most college quarterbacks avoid.

By default, Brandstater is one of the top four quarterbacks in the WAC, a conference that boasts two of the most prolific passers in the country, Hawaii’s Heisman hopeful Colt Brennan and New Mexico State’s Chase Holbrook. Brandstater has the tools to truly rank among the WAC’s best signal callers.

Brandstater has to be ready because the talent behind him is young and/or inexperienced. RFr. Ryan Colburn (6-3, 230) has drawn comparisons to Carr. Physically – especially with his current hairdo – Colburn is a spitting image of Carr. However, like Carr, Colburn might not be ready to take the reigns until his third year.

Colburn showed steady progress throughout spring but hit a plateau. He is throwing well in summer but will have to be lights-out in camp to have a shot to unseat Brandstater. Nonetheless, he is capable of running the offense if needed this season.

True freshman Matt Faulkner (6-3, 190) looked good his first day in summer workouts using his own ball. However, the newcomer is having some trouble adjusting to the college ball. He shows potential to be solid college quarterback but more than likely, he will redshirt to create some separation among the young signal callers.

Fr. Matt Christian (6-3, 195) has made some strides since spring ball. The former grayshirt lacks the arm strength to unseat Brandstater and Colburn atop the depth chart but provides excellent depth to the position.

The wildcards of the bunch are All-State standouts Tim Lang and Phillip Thomas. Thomas played quarterback in high school but was named All-State as a defensive back and recruited as one. However, Lang was an All-State quarterback but recruited as an athlete. He has spent the summer working out with the receivers. Nonetheless, it would be interesting to see the standout get some looks at quarterback.

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