Memphis Spring Football Storylines: Quarterback
The Memphis Spring Football is set to begin on Monday. One of the top storylines is going to be the quarterback position. The Tigers have had a great run of quarterbacks for the past decade that saw Paxton Lynch, Riley Ferguson, Brady White, Seth Henigan, and Brendon Lewis.
For Memphis to get back to the American Conference mountain top, the Tigers need solid play from the quarterback. Let’s take a look at the battle for QB1.
Marcus Stokes
Stokes comes to Memphis from a very successful career at West Florida. Stokes, 6-foot-2 215 lbs., was the Gulf South Conference Offensive Player of the Year. He threw for 3,297 yards and 30 touchdowns while completing over 60% of his passes. He averaged 275 passing yards per game last season. He also rushed for 10 touchdowns and 367 rush yards. Stokes was named a finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which is known as the Division II Heisman.
Air Noland
Noland was a 4-star quarterback coming out of high school. He started his career at Ohio State. He then transferred to South Carolina. Now, the 6-foot-2 southpaw passer comes to Memphis for a chance to compete for the starting job. Charles Power scouted him coming out of high school and said, “A pass-first quarterback but has some creativity and mobility when needed. One of the safest bets among quarterbacks in the 2024 cycle given his on-field success and production relative to his peers.”
The Battle
Noland will actually have a legitimate shot to compete for a starting role. Something he did not get at his other spots. Both quarterbacks are known for their arm strength and accuracy. The battle will be who will be able to learn and command the Kevin Decker offense better. Which one of them will be ready to take the leadership role? This is a must see battle and one that is probably the most important of all the battles that will happen this spring. It’s also a battle that may not have a winner until Fall camp.
