"Countdown To Kickoff": The Quarterbacks
Editor's Note: This is the first installment of an eight-part series produced by the FSU Athletics Communications Office looking at different position groups as the Bulldogs prepare for their 2009 season opener on Saturday, Aug. 29, against Tiffin at Top Taggart Field.
Big Rapids, Mich. - If there is any position where the Ferris
State University football team should be further ahead of the curve
than it was at this point a season ago, it would have to be
the quarterback position.
In 2008, the Bulldogs entered fall camp with no sure starter and
little experience overall at the signal caller spot heading into
week one after four-year letterwinner C.J. Van Wieren was lost to
graduation following the 2007 season.
That certainly shouldn't be the case this fall.
Sophomore Tom Schneider (Jerome/Addison)
eventually won the starting job with a strong preseason showing
last campaign and went on to lead the Bulldogs in rushing with 519
yards while completing 74-of-162 passes for 884 yards in
2008. The 6-3 Schneider started 10 of 11 contests a year ago
and led the team with six rushing TD's as a redshirt freshman.
"Tom took a step forward during the spring in the passing game and
has more command of the offense," said FSU Offensive Coordinator
Matt McCarthy.
While Schneider had a strong rookie season following a redshirt
year in the Bulldog program, he eventually split time running the
offense with junior college transfer Kyle Parrish
(Garden Grove, Calif./Santiago), who showed flashes of his
outstanding potential and ability to throw the ball down
field.
Parrish, who will be a senior this fall, played in eight games and
threw for a team-high 911 yards and six scores on 75-of-137 passing
in the air. His season was highlighted by a career-high 404
yards passing in a win at Indianapolis (Oct. 11) as he completed
26-of-41 balls with four TD's, helping him set a new school record
with 477 total offensive yards after replacing Schneider, who was
injured in the opening stanza.
"Kyle continued to battle for the job in the spring and should
challenge for the position throughout the fall," McCarthy
said. "He's a great passer with good accuracy and can also
run well."
Both Schneider and Parrish are back and figure to have more command
of the offense heading into the 2009 campaign. However, they
will be expected to cut down on mistakes this time around after a
year of seasoning in the system.
Schneider entered fall camp as the frontrunner to win the starting
job again this season after a strong spring, but both are likely to
play and could be on the field at the same time, which occured at
various points last season when Schneider was shifted to a wideout
position.
In this year's annual Crimson and Gold Spring Game, Schneider
earned offensive MVP honors by helping account for four touchdowns
while showing an improved passing touch. He ran for two
scores, tossed a nine-yard scoring pass and also caught a 20-yard
touchdown reception from redshirt freshman quarterback
Robert Banaszak (Rockford), who could challenge
both Schneider and Parrish for playing time this fall following a
solid redshirt year.
"Robert Banaszak is closing the gap and has made a nice adjustment
to our system," FSU head coach Jeff Pierce
said. "He's getting ready to step in and do what we need him
to do if called upon."
Pierce has long stressed the importance of having more than one
quarterback in the Bulldogs' spread-type offense and that shouldn't
be cause for concern this fall with two proven commodities at the
position in Schneider and Parrish along with a talented youngster
waiting in the wings in Banaszak who has the tools to be
a quality playmaker at the position.
"It's a competitive situation at the quarterback spot," Pierce
said. "In our type of offense, you need a couple of guys who
can make plays and we certainly like what these guys bring to the
table and how they've developed."
The Bulldogs also brought in three freshman quarterbacks as part of
this year's recruiting class in Michael Buday
(Portage/Hackett Catholic Central), Jarrett
Leister (St. Louis/Mount Pleasant) and Jace
Heneveld (Zeeland/East), although its likely a few if not
all of them could redshirt this year with the experienced trio in
front of them returning. All three had strong prep careers
and enter the program with outstanding credentials in their own
right.
Next
Installment: The "Countdown To Kickoff"
series will resume on Tuesday (Aug. 18) with a look at
the backfield.
