Spring Practice No. 6 Breakdown: QBs
Upcoming Schedule
Thursday, April 11 8:45 am – 10:45 am
Saturday, April 13 10 am – 12:15 pm
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — As part of the 2019 spring camp, GoLobos.com will do a position-by-position breakdown of the various positions on offense, defense and special teams. Today’s breakdown is on the quarterback position.
Letterwinners returning:
Sheriron Jones (Moreno Valley, Calif., 102-for-187, 13 TD, 12 INT, 54.5%, 1,417 yards, long of 79, 128.3 rating; 79 rushes, 286 yards, 0 TD, long of 32)
Tevaka Tuioti (Long Beach, Calif., 24-for-43, 5 TD, 2 INT, 55.8%, 439 yards, long of 69, 170.6 rating; 15 rushes, 100 yards, 1 TD, long of 28)
Redshirts/Squad members returning:
Trae Hall (Henderson, Texas, 0-for-0, 0 TD, 0 INT, 1 rush, 6 yards)
Will Heckman (Seattle, Wash.)
Letterwinners lost:
Coltin Gerhart (Murrieta, Calif., 27-for-56, 3 TD, 3 INT, 48.2%, 266 yards, long of 38, 95.1 rating 35 rushes, 20 yards, 1 TD, long of 12)
2019 Signing Class in camp:
Brandt Hughes (Calif.)
2019 Signing Class not yet enrolled:
None
Entering spring camp, UNM has five quarterbacks all looking to be under center when the season opens on August 31 against Sam Houston State in Dreamstyle Stadium (Season ticket holders can renew here). According to Bob Davie, each quarterback brings something different to the table. With new quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Joe Dailey at the helm, having plenty of options to evaluate is just what UNM needs this spring.
The 2018 season saw UNM for the second straight year start three quarterbacks, and UNM was one of only five teams in 2018 to have three different quarterbacks start at least two games each. Sheriron Jones started the most games of any of UNM’s quarterbacks, getting seven starts despite starting the season as the No. 3 quarterback on the depth chart. Tevaka Tuioti started three including the season opener, and Coltin Gerhart started two.
Perhaps the biggest advantage heading into the 2019 season is the amount of quarterbacks in spring camp itself. Last year, Jones wasn’t enrolled in the spring, so he missed out on those reps, as did true freshman Trae Hall, who was the backup quarterback and basically practiced as the No. 2 quarterback for the majority of the season. The only two quarterbacks in camp last year were Tuioti and Gerhart. This year there’s five, and to get an extra five weeks of reps and practice will only benefit the team.
Tuioti started three of the first four games, including the opener and the game at Wisconsin, and he led the team with a 170.64 rating, as well as TD-to-INT ratio (5 to 2). He also led all UNM quarterbacks in yards per attempt at 9.5, and with a 42.9% completion percentage on deep throws (according to Pro Football Focus). Tuioti was also deadly accurate with an NFL rating of 141.7 when kept clean.
Jones, UNM’s other returning quarterback with starting experience, took the most snaps at the position with 526, leading the team in yards 1,417 and touchdowns, with 13. He proved elusive as a runner with four forced missed tackles, and he was credited with seven big-time throws by PFF (the highest-graded and most difficult throws according to PFF).
The experience that both Tuioti and Jones bring to the quarterback room and the playing field is immeasurable, but there’s three other quarterbacks vying for playing time. The third quarterback from last year’s active roster is Trae Hall, who redshirted but did get some game action against UNLV. Hall brings big credentials with him from Texas, and as Bob Davie has stated, he gained valuable experience last year because for several weeks he was the backup quarterback. Hall only took snaps at the end of the UNLV game, but he showed more than enough in the fall in his preparation to be in the mix.
Will Heckman is the only other quarterback that is on the roster from last year. The transfer from Indiana State had to sit out due to NCAA rules, but his work leading the scout teams showcased a big arm and his leadership ability, and he is right there with the other quarterbacks in getting reps and showcasing his talents.
Joining the four returners is Brandt Hughes, who brings a talented arm from Butte Junior College. Hughes threw for 2,146 yards last year at Butte, tossing 14 touchdowns and rushing for five more. Hughes had Butte ranked as high as No. 2, going 9-2 last year.
It’s a crowded quarterbacks’ room, and there is only one person who can take the opening snap on August 31, but the competition that has been on-going has been one of the highlights of the early portion of camp. It’s competition that to this point has kept all five sharp and focused, and the offense under Joe Dailey should reap the rewards.
NEXT UP: Thursday, April 11, defensive line.
PRACTICE NOTES: Jay Griffin IV was back at practice after his double dip on Saturday. Griffin spent the first half of practice catching passes before swapping out his pads for running shoes and heading over to the Great Friends of UNM Track Stadium for the 100 and 200-meter races of the Don Kirby Tailwind Invitational, winning both races.