Which quarterback debut is most intriguing this weekend?
The college football season kicked off a week ago, but it will be in full swing by Saturday.
Each week, the Paste BN Sports college staff (Nicole Auerbach, Paul Myerberg, George Schroeder and Dan Wolken) will take on an intriguing question. This week:
What quarterback debut are you most excited to watch and why?
Nicole Auerbach
I'll go with Tyler O'Connor. The fifth-year senior has waited behind Connor Cook for his entire career at Michigan State ... until now.
I'm looking forward to seeing O'Connor for two reasons. First off, I love that he didn't transfer out when he didn't win the job initially. That's unique for highly touted quarterbacks these days, and something I really admire. Which brings me to Point 2: I think there's even more pressure on him now because he didn't leave.
The expectation is that he'll be very familiar with the Spartans offense and that he should be good right away. Not to mention, he's following Cook who followed Kirk Cousins — two of the most successful quarterbacks in Michigan State program history, and two players who helped elevate the program to the nation's elite. Those are huge shoes to fill, and ones that could seem even bigger because no one is expecting any sort of a letdown or rebuilding year. I'm looking forward to seeing how O'Connor handles this non-football piece of the puzzle in addition to seeing how he actually does on the field.
Paul Myerberg
Deondre Francois, Florida State. Francois was officially named the starter after senior Sean Maguire’s injury earlier this month, though it’s likely he would’ve ended up getting the nod either way. It probably isn’t great to make your debut against Mississippi, but it’s OK: Francois is surrounded by enough talent to hit the ground running for the Seminoles.
Remember that the last FSU redshirt freshman to start at quarterback, Jameis Winston, did a pretty good job during his two seasons at the helm.
George Schroeder
It’s not exactly a debut. We’ve seen Trevor Knight before, on bigger stages than Texas A&M’s season opener with UCLA. But the transfer from Oklahoma might never have been under the spotlight in a more critical moment.
This is a pivotal year for the A&M program. Sitting on a hot seat, Aggies coach Kevin Sumlin has hung plenty on a graduate transfer whose leadership and character are stellar — both were badly needed qualities in the Aggies’ locker room — but whose on-field career has been inconsistent. Knight was spectacular in beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl after the 2013 season, but erratic thereafter.
Last season, he lost the starting job to Baker Mayfield. No apologies are necessary, considering how Mayfield played. And it’s important to note that Knight doesn’t have to be the Alabama-beating version of himself for Texas A&M to be good; the Aggies have plenty of talent around the quarterback.
The question remains, though: Can he deliver an above-average performance on a consistent basis? We begin to find out Saturday against a very tough opponent."
Dan Wolken
If you trust Jimbo Fisher's track record with quarterbacks, Deondre Francois' debut for Florida State should be worth watching. The Seminoles' coaching staff hasn't been shy, both publicly and privately, about how highly they regard Francois' ability.
But the expectations game can be dangerous, especially at a program where Jameis Winston won the Heisman Trophy and national championship as a redshirt freshman. It would be unfair to set the bar that high for Francois, but he's an electric talent who has spent a year watching and learning as a redshirt who has quickly earned Fisher's trust. It should be a good show.
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