It’s hard to get on the internet these days without hearing about another quarterback who is transferring. Oregon recently saw not one, but two quarterbacks hit the road. Alabama’s Parker McLeod is seeking transfer options and if he goes he would be the fifth quarterback signed in the Nick Saban era to transfer. Tennessee’s Riley Ferguson, who many thought would eventually win the Vols starting gig, is also expected to transfer. Add this to Georgia Tech’s Vad Lee, Kentucky’s Jalen Whitlow, A&M’s Matt Joeckel, FSU’s Jacob Coker and it’s hard to keep up with who’s coming and who’s going in the world of college football quarterbacks.
When Clemson and Georgia meet in week one of the 2014 college football season, something kind of strange will happen. Two quarterbacks who have waited behind stars will get their chance to lead their schools because they not only waited their turn but they earned their turn.
Cole Stoudt was a part of Clemson’s 2011 recruiting class which put him two years behind Tajh Boyd. Stout sat behind Boyd on the depth chart as Boyd threw for over 11,000 yards and over 100 touchdowns in three season. Stoudt watched as Clemson added highly touted Chad Kelly to it’s quarterback group in 2012 and Deshaun Watson in 2014.
Hutson Mason came in as a part of Georgia’s 2010 recruiting class, one year after Aaron Murray. Mason watched as Murray rose to stardom and Georgia continued to recruit high caliber quarterbacks. Georgia landed Christian LeMay in 2011, Faton Bauta in 2012, Brice Ramsey in 2013 and Jacob Park in 2014. Mason has been able to hold off the youngsters and even put a year of distance between himself and Murray, who took a red-shirt in 2009, by taking a red-shirt during the 2012 season.
Both Stoudt and Mason contemplated transferring but ultimately they chose to stay with their school and take the path that it seems is the one that is less traveled.
Many others have taken what they perceived as the “easier” route to getting on the field but in week one when Georgia and Clemson meet ‘between the hedges’ pay close attention to these two quarterbacks and the sacrifices that they have made to lead their teams to battle as it seems that they are very rare in this era of college football.
