Southern Jaguars On The Prowl For Their New Starting Quarterback

Offensive coordinator and his staff will make the call on the new starter!

Southern Jaguars / Credit: SU Athletics

Southern Jaguars Football: Coach Graves Delegates Quarterback Decision to Offensive Staff

In a strategic move, newly appointed Southern Jaguars head coach Terrence Graves has decided to forgo naming the starting quarterback himself. Instead, WAFB's Kevin Batiste reported that he's entrusted this crucial decision to his offensive staff.

"We got a good battle going!"

- OC Mark Frederick, Southern Jaguars

Offensive Coordinator Shares Insight

Offensive coordinator Mark Frederick revealed their approach: "He pretty much told us it's up to us," Frederick told WAFB. We meet every day. We grade the guys. So, you know the guy who will give us the best chance to win? That's who we're going to go with."

Mark Frederick - Offensive Coordinator / Credit: WAFB

The Quarterback Contenders

The battle for the Jaguars' QB1 spot features four contenders:

• Noah Bodden: The 6'4", 218-pound quarterback from Valley Stream, New York, returns after leading the Jaguars to victory against Grambling State in the 50th Annual Bayou Classic. Bodden, who transferred from GSU, has completed 22 of 45 passes, with two interceptions and one touchdown in his collegiate career. Despite his five starts—four at Grambling and one at Southern—the coaching staff has yet to anoint him as the team's offensive leader.
• Jalen Woods
• C'zavian "Zae" Teasett (Scotlandville)
• Angelo Izzard, Jr. (Southern Lab) - Coach Frederick said, "He's a winner...actually, picking up the offense pretty quickly."

Offensive Strategy

Frederick provided insights into their offensive strategy: "We're going to put the offense around the guy that's in. If he's not a good runner, we'll set up some pocket stuff. And we got some [running] backs that can run the ball, so we'll take that pressure off of him. And if we got a guy that's more mobile, like Teasett and Izzard, then we'll let them run the ball too."

Southern Jaguars / Credit: SU Athletics

Experience vs. Potential

While Bodden is the only quarterback with game-time experience, having played in five collegiate games, Woods, Teasett, and Izzard are entering the competition with no prior college football experience. The coaching staff aims to identify the new leader by the second scrimmage.

Upcoming Season and Key Matchups

The Coach Graves era will officially kick off against McNeese State on Saturday, Aug. 31, at Cowboy Stadium. An early significant matchup will occur on Saturday, Sept. 21, when the Jaguars face Prairie View A&M, hosted by Coach Bubba McDowell's squad at Panther Stadium.

Aiming for a Comeback

After finishing with a 5-5 record under former head coach Eric Dooley and 1-0 with then-interim Coach Graves, the Southern Jaguars are poised for a comeback in a competitive conference. Fans from the Southern region will closely follow this competition as it unfolds on the football fields of Scotlandville.

Stay tuned for more updates on the Southern Jaguars football team and the intense quarterback competition as the new season approaches.

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