Many fans are keen to see how quickly freshman quarterback Ben McLane can pick up Georgia State’s offense. Though coach Bill Curry hopes to redshirt McLane, he understands that he is an injury to Bo Schlechter away from possibly having to play McLane, less than a year after he led Brookwood to the Class AAAAA state championship.
Drew Little, last year’s starter, is suspended for the first four games of the season. Kelton Hill, who won the starting job in the spring, was recently arrested and charged with burglary. He is no longer on the roster, and Curry isn’t allowed to comment on Hill’s situation.
The team used three quarterbacks in Thursday’s first preseason practice. Curry said he may not move another player to quarterback.
McLane had an expectedly rough start Thursday, throwing an interception and fumbling a snap during an 11-on-11 drill.
“I’ve got to keep going. I don’t like to make excuses,” McLane said. “The speed of the game hit me a little bit. It’s a lot faster. I just have to stay calm.”
Another new face
McLane wasn’t the only new face at Thursday’s practice. A.J. Portee, a former Mays High School player who transferred from Connecticut, also debuted. “It’s great to be back home,” he said.
A 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive end, Portee said he left the Huskies simply because he wanted to be closer to Atlanta.
Portee said he wants to show the coaches his intensity and how quickly he can play. He said he has quick feet, which makes him a good pass-rusher. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
First day
Curry was mostly happy with the first practice, saying there was good enthusiasm. During the next two weeks, he wants to see drastic improvement from the veterans as well as the freshmen and transfers, who created what he described as a lot of unnecessary movement Thursday. The team will practice again Friday.
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