Georgia State’s quarterbacks are progressing at an acceptable rate, but now it’s time to consistently produce, said their position coach, Luke Huard.
Nick Arbuckle, Emiere Scaife and Ronnie Bell are the three quarterbacks most likely to play, of five on the roster.
Right or wrong, Huard said quarterbacks usually are judged by three or four plays, and those are usually negative. The key is wiping out those negative plays, usually turnovers.
“We improved last year from the year before but we need to make a giant step from last year to this year,” Huard said.
Against an improved level of competition last season, Bell had 15 touchdowns and 11 interceptions and completed 50.1 percent of his passes. Ben McLane, another of the quarterbacks, had 10 touchdowns and 11 interceptions against mostly FCS-level opponents in 2012.
As Huard said, a giant step needs to be taken.
Hence the signings of Arbuckle, who passed for almost 7,000 yards and 73 touchdowns in two seasons at Pierce College, and Scaife, who has the size (6-foot-2, 218 pounds) and strength most people envision in an FBS quarterback.
But unlike Arbuckle and Bell, Scaife doesn’t have the experience. Usually once per practice, Scaife will show flashes of his potential with a nice deep throw, strong out throw or agile run. But he can also throw a pass that results in him putting both hands on his helmet in disbelief.
“Emiere has great tools,” Huard said. “Now it’s getting up to the speed of the game. He’s a smart kid and works hard. It’s important to him.”
Arbuckle doesn’t have Scaife’s arm strength, but Huard said Arbuckle has enough strength to do what is needed, and he has a great touch on deep passes.
His strengths — intelligence and attention to detail — are almost too good.
“Sometimes he overanalyzes things,” Huard said. “I have to reel him back in. He thinks like a coach. It certainly will be a strength in game weeks.”
Arbuckle was named the starter after the spring. Scaife has received most of the snaps with the second team because Huard said they want to see what he can do.
Huard said Bell has had a good spring. The coaches know what he is capable of and said they are comfortable that he knows what to do.
Simon says: Nate Simon brings speed, smarts and a toughness to the safety position that coach Trent Miles said he likes.
Simon signed with the Panthers after two seasons at Golden West College in California. He totaled more than 100 tackles with three forced fumbles and two interceptions.
Simon, 6-1, 195 pounds, has quickly moved into a starting slot at Georgia State.
“The older guys are doing a great job of teaching me and the coaches of instructing in meetings,” Simon said.
One of the reasons that Simon, originally from Compton, Calif., signed with Georgia State was because he has a brother and sister who live in College Park.
Adding Simon was an important piece of Georgia State’s signing-day strategy because the team lost all four starters in the secondary from last season’s team. The position group was fast but slightly undersized for FBS level competition.
Last year’s safeties and defensive backs struggled against the pass and run as part of a unit that allowed a conference-worst average of 36.7 points per game.
“He’s doing a great job,” Miles said.
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