Why Jerod Evans Should Start for the Hokies this Season

Everyone loves a good quarterback competition during training camp. The Virginia Tech Hokies will have a 3 man race for the starting job this season between transfer Jerod Evans, redshirt Senior Brenden Motley, and true Freshman Josh Jackson. Coach Fuente knows the value of the quarterback position which is why he should be trusted to make a great decision. He has obtained a reputation for selecting and developing great quarterbacks after working with high profile players such as Andy Dalton of the Cincinnati Benglas and Paxton Lynch of the Denver Broncos. If Coach Fuente’s past at Memphis tells us anything, he’ll go with Jerod Evans this season while giving Josh Jackson a chance to be the quarterback of the future.

When he first arrived at Memphis in 2011, the Tigers just lost an experienced starter in Taylor Reed. However, Fuente was able to recruit Jacob Karam, a transfer from Texas Tech. Fuente’s staff also took the time to check out a young high school quarterback prospect from Deltona, Florida by the name of Paxton Lynch. The two quarterbacks had talent, but Fuente made the decision to go with Jacob Karam in his first season. And after the improvement the Memphis Tigers showed in 2012, it looked like a great decision. Karam had a solid season in Coach Fuente’s first year at Memphis and showed potential to build off that great season.

But despite the steady improvement of Jacob Karam, Coach Fuente decided to play the long game and go with  redshirt Freshman Paxton Lynch in 2013. That first season with Lynch had its ups and downs and the team overall looked like it took a slight step backwards. But Coach Fuente showed great resolve and belief in the 3 star recruit he hand picked out of Florida and it paid off. In 2014 and 2015, the Memphis Tigers put themselves on the map with 19 wins and that little known 3 star quarterback recruit developed into a first round pick by the Superbowl champs.

Thankfully, the situation with the Hokies isn’t as dire as the Tigers, but there are parallels to be made. Virginia Tech just lost an experienced starter in Michael Brewer. Coach Fuente brought in the top rated JUCO quarterback recruit in the country and recruited a very talented young quarterback in Josh Jackson. The fact that there are reports of Josh Jackson entering the quarterback competition so early is a great sign for his future with the Virginia Tech football program. But like Paxton Lynch, it would be best for the young freshman to let the talented transfer start in year one and then develop into the great player Coach Fuente believes he can be.