Knudson: QB Question Marks

By Mark Knudson, The Mtn. Insider
August 10, 2011
 
The new-look Mountain West boasts some serious quarterback talent: A legit Heisman candidate in Boise State’s Kellen Moore, a bona fide star and potential first round draft pick in San Diego State’s Ryan Lindley, an option whiz in Air Force’s Tim Jefferson and a “sky’s the limit” talent in Colorado State’s young Pete Thomas.

Even with that impressive list of signal callers, new and unsettled would be the apt description when it comes to quarterback situation in the other half of the Conference.
 
Wyoming, New Mexico, UNLV and yes, TCU, will be breaking in new quarterbacks this season. It’s always the toughest position to have to deal with having a new guy, and in the case of TCU, it’s extra tough, since Andy Dalton was the starter for three straight seasons and led the Horned Frogs to unprecedented heights. No matter how you frame it, Dalton will be sorely missed.
 
Wyoming wasn’t expecting to have to find a new QB this season. It should be the junior season for Austyn Carta-Samuels, who would have very likely been a four-year starter if he hadn’t left school after last season for family reasons. That left head coach Dave Christensen with a big void he’s going to have to fill with inexperienced players, including a pair of freshman. So far in camp, Christensen hasn’t tipped his hand as to who might have the edge between true freshmen Brett Smith, redshirt freshman Adam Pittser or junior college transfer Colby Kirkegaard. In the first scrimmage, all three rotated with the first, second and third units. Whoever forges ahead in the battle will see his first major college action on September 3.
 
New Mexico thought they’d found a starter at the end of last season, but Stump Godfrey, who started the final four games, also left school for personal reasons this summer, leaving Mike Locksley in the same predicament that Christensen is in. Sophomore Tarean Austin and freshman Dustin Walton were numbers two and three on the spring depth chart, meaning the Lobos will be dealing with inexperience under center this fall as well, only they open with a important conference game against Colorado State.

“Unknown” is how UNLV coach Bobby Hauck describes his team at the start of camp. His team is very young under center as well, with sophomore Caleb Herring the leading candidate, at least at the start. Junior college transfer Sean Reilly is also in the mix. Neither has a lot of, you guessed it, experience.

And talk about having a tough act to follow. Have some sympathy for TCU sophomore Casey Pachall. Dalton left town for the NFL having led the Frogs to an unbeaten season and a Rose Bowl win. What can Pachall do to top that?  He can’t and he won’t be asked to. The Frogs figure to continue with a strong ground game and a stout defense, taking as much pressure off Pachall as possible. Who knows, if the youngster grows into the job sooner than expected, fans may forget about Dalton.
 
Probably not. At least not this season.
 
Only the Frogs are picked to finish near the top of the Conference this season, but if any of the other three teams can find a gem among the youngsters, they could certainly make some noise when the Conference schedule rolls around.
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