SoCon Football 2014: Ranking The League’s Field Generals (Part 1 of 2)

GREENVILLE, S.C.–In keeping with the theme of rankings as we progress through the spring, it’s time to start with out positional rankings, starting with of course, the quarterback position.

Last season, there was a good mix of veterans and young quarterbacks in the SoCon, with each bringing a different skill-set to the table.

Obviously, if you look back at the quarterback SaturdayBlitz had ranked as the top signal-caller in the SoCon last season, it was not accurate, as Appalachian State’s Jamal Jackson didn’t even make it through the season as a starter, however, had he been completely healthy, I think he would have come close, but he probably ruined himself playing on an injured knee in 2012, leading Appalachian State to its 12th and final Southern Conference crown.

Samford senior Andy Summerlin and then Chattanooga sophomore Jacob Huesman would end up splitting the Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year honor, with Huesman garnering the SoCon’s Coaches Player of the Year, while Summerlin got the media nod as the league’s most outstanding offensive player.

This season, the position is a bit down overall, however, while there might not be a proven passer the likes of Summerlin returning, many are anxious to see what Arizona State transfer Michael Eubank will do under center, as he replaces the prolific Summerlin.

Eubank, a 6-5, 245-pound rising junior is expected to be Summerlin’s heir apparent this fall, and he is quite possibly the most talented transfer from a big name program to transfer into the Southern Conference since B.J. Coleman or Chris Forcier, who transferred in to Chattanooga and Furman from the PAC 12 and SEC back in 2009 and ’10.

So, without further adieu, here are our rankings of the signal-callers 1-8 heading into 2014.

Chattanooga Junior QB Jacob Huesman

1. Jacob Huesman (Chattanooga)–The junior signal-caller has been outstanding in his two years leading the UTC offense, and led the Mocs to their first Southern Conference title since 1984 last en route to winning the SoCon’s Offensive Player of the Year honor, as selected by the SoCon’s head coaches. Huesman has amassed an impressive 5,147 yards of total offense (3,349 pass yds/1,798 rush yds) and 45 TDs (29 passing, 16 rushing) in his two seasons as the Mocs quarterback.

Even more amazing has been Huesman’s ability to take care of the football, and has only thrown 10 INTs in 20 starts under in his career. Huesman has started 20 games in his career with the Mocs, with one start coming at wide receiver.

Huesman could find himself as an outside contender for a spot on the Walter Payton Award this fall, but he likely won’t put up the passing numbers to win the award, however, he’s why Chattanooga will enter the 2014 season as the favorite to win the SoCon in 2014. As a sophomore last season, Huesman connected on 164-of-240 passes for 1,637 yards, with 16 TDs and only five INTs last fall.

2. Reese Hannon (Furman)–No team in the Southern Conference experienced as many quarterback issues as Furman did last season, and when Hannon was out of the lineup for Bruce Fowler’s Paladins, the team struggled to find the leadership,poise and precision passing that they possessed with the experienced sophomore in the lineup as a starter.

The Paladins were 0-3 against Elon, Chattanooga and Gardner-Webb without the services of Hannon last season, but were an impressive 8-3 in games he started. Hannon took over the starting job for Furman after Dakota Derrick went down with a shoulder injury in the Paladins’ second game of the 2012 season, and since putting on a dazzling, 255-yard, three touchdown performance, he has never looked back in his role as a starter, only relinquishing the job because of injuries since.

The Paladins are 0-5 over the past two seasons in games Hannon did not start, and 0-4 in games in which he did not see any action. In his first couple of seasons under center for the Paladins, Hannon has connected on 313-of-514 passes for 3,644 yards, with 14 TDs and 13 INTs. In 2013, Hannon connected on 153-of-254 passes for 1,748 yards, with seven TDs and five INTs. Hannon led Furman to the program’s first Southern Conference title since 2004, first playoff appearance since 2006 and first playoff victory since 2005.

Hannon also became the youngest quarterback, according to class, to lead Furman to a Southern Conference title as a sophomore signal-caller since Frankie DeBusk led the Paladins to league and national titles as a super sophomore back in 1988. Hannon’s signature performance of the season came in a game of paramount importance against Wofford, in which the Paladins needed to win in order to claim the Southern Conference crown. All the cousin of former Paladin legendary quarterback Justin Hill did was proceed to throw for a career-high 326 yards, with a TD and an INT, as he led the Paladins to the all important 27-14 title-clinching win over they Terriers.

Hannon’s performance over his first two seasons has already placed him in the Top 10 of the program’s all-time leading passers, and with his uncanny ability to manage a game, as well as make the big, accurate throw in clutch situations, the Paladins have an excellent opportunity to at least match their achievements of a year ago, but have likely set their sights on even more if they can accomplish the first goal, which is win the SoCon. Hannon is extremely vital to this offense, and the success of Furman in 2014 likely depends on his ability to stay healthy. If he is able to stay injury free the Paladins likely don’t have a limit to the success they can achieve this fall.

Check back to SaturdayBlitz.com tomorrow for the remaining rankings of the remaining six quarterbacks in the Southern Conference heading into the 2014 season.