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Athlon Sports
Sun Belt Quarterback Rankings for 2024
By Steven Lassan,
5 hours ago
Transfers dominate the Sun Belt quarterback rankings for the 2024 college football season, as 12 of the 14 signal-callers arrived to the conference through junior college or the portal. Texas State's Jordan McCloud takes the top spot for '24, but Appalachian State's Joey Aguilar, and Arkansas State's Jaylen Raynor aren't far behind the No. 1 ranking. How quarterback battles shake out at Marshall, Louisiana, Georgia State, Coastal Carolina, and Georgia Southern could have a major impact on how this ranking looks later this fall.
Ranking the quarterbacks by conference or nationally is no easy task. To help compile the rankings, there was some projection involved for 2024. This was not a ranking of quarterbacks only based on accomplishments so far or pro potential. All factors — pure talent, supporting cast, having a clear hold on the No. 1 position, previous production, '24 projection, and scheme changes (just to name a few) — were considered and projected to rank the quarterbacks in the Sun Belt for 2024.
McCloud was the Sun Belt's Player of the Year in 2023 after throwing for 3,657 yards and 35 touchdowns and rushing for 276 yards and eight scores at James Madison last season. He also finished first in the conference in total yards a game (302.5) and led all quarterbacks in completions of 40-plus yards (13). The Florida native is now on his fourth collegiate stop after spending time at Arizona and USF in addition to his '23 stint with the Dukes. At Texas State, McCloud will inherit the controls of coach GJ Kinne's high-powered offense. The Bobcats paced the Sun Belt in scoring (36.7 points a game) and averaged 6.2 yards a snap, with former quarterback TJ Finley finishing fourth in the conference in production (269.8 total yards a game). McCloud was the Sun Belt's top quarterback last season and a shift to Kinne's offense will do nothing to slow down the senior's production in '24.
Aguilar opened 2023 as Appalachian State's backup quarterback but was quickly pressed into action after an injury to starter Ryan Burger in the first game of the year. All the junior college product did was emerge as the Sun Belt's top newcomer for '24 and quickly moved to the top of the list for the league's best quarterback. Aguilar threw for 3,757 yards and 33 touchdowns and added 245 yards and three scores on the ground. The California native threw for 318 yards in a huge win against James Madison and torched Southern Miss for 391 yards in a 48-38 victory. Aguilar's 8.2 yards per attempt ranked fourth among Sun Belt signal-callers, while his 153 completions of 10-plus yards were tops in the conference.
Raynor's emergence in 2023 was a big reason why Arkansas State overcame a slow start to finish with its best season (6-7) under coach Butch Jones. The North Carolina native assumed the starting job in the fourth game of last season and threw for 2,550 yards and 17 touchdowns and rushed for 373 yards and five scores the rest of the way. Raynor's 8.9 yards per attempt tied with Jordan McCloud for first in the Sun Belt, while his 265.7 total yards a contest ranked fifth among conference players. After earning Sun Belt Freshman of the Year honors, Raynor just starting to tap into his potential and is poised to emerge as one of the top quarterbacks at the Group of 5 level in '24.
James Madison's offense is going through a significant offseason renovation, but new coach Bob Chesney still has enough returning pieces to keep this unit near the top of the Sun Belt. Morris transferred in from Washington this offseason and is likely to assume the No. 1 spot on the depth chart after Jordan McCloud's transfer to Texas State. The Washington native played in 26 games (with 15 starts) with the Huskies, throwing for 3,721 yards and 20 scores during that span. Morris connected on 61 percent of his career attempts in Seattle but needs to cut down on the mistakes (17 picks over 503 attempts). New James Madison offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy guided Holy Cross' offense to an average of 36.9 points a contest last season, so the potential is in place for this attack to put up plenty of yards and points with Morris at the controls in '24.
South Alabama's offense ranked as one of the best in the Sun Belt last season but will look significantly different in '24. Offensive coordinator Major Applewhite was promoted to head coach after Kane Wommack left to be an assistant at Alabama, top receiver Caullin Lacy transferred to Louisville, and just two starters return up front. It may take some time for this unit to jell, but Applewhite still has some talented playmakers to work with at receiver, along with a potential breakout in Lopez at quarterback. The Huntsville native played in five contests as a true freshman last season and started the Jaguars' win over Eastern Michigan in the 68 Ventures Bowl. In that matchup, Lopez completed 14 of 19 throws for 192 yards and three scores and added 88 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Although the sample size is small, Lopez's performance last year as the backup to Carter Bradley was encouraging for Applewhite. Utah State transfer Bishop Davenport will push for the job this fall.
Replacing Grayson McCall's production and overall capability in coach Tim Beck's offense won't be easy, but Vasko showed promise in a late-season stint in '23. With McCall sidelined due to injury, Vasko played in eight games (with four starts) and threw for 779 yards and seven scores to just one pick. The Kansas transfer also ran for 368 yards and two touchdowns, including 170 in a 28-24 victory over Old Dominion and 50 in the Hawaii Bowl against San Jose State. Coastal Carolina went 3-1 in Vasko's four starts last year. Transfers Noah Kim (Michigan State) and Tad Hudson (North Carolina) will push Vasko for the starting job this fall.
Better quarterback play is a must if Southern Miss coach Will Hall and coordinator Chip Long want to jumpstart an offense that finished 12th in the Sun Belt in scoring (23.2) last season. As a team, the Golden Eagles managed only 6.3 yards an attempt and completed only 50.6 percent of their throws in conference play. The addition of Rodemaker should be a huge lift here, as the Florida State transfer brings experience (23 appearances and two starts) and upside to the passing game. In four seasons with the Seminoles, Rodemaker threw for 901 yards and seven touchdowns and completed 58 percent of his throws in limited time.
8. Ben Wooldridge, Louisiana
Injuries have ended Wooldridge's last two seasons prematurely, but all signs point to a full recovery this fall. And assuming the senior is able to go 100 percent, a quarterback battle with Chandler Fields awaits once again for the '24 season. The California native led Louisiana with 1,661 yards and 15 touchdown passes in '22 but missed the final three contests due to a torn ACL suffered in early November. After recovering in time for the '23 opener, Wooldridge suffered a season-ending foot injury on Sept. 16 against UAB. Through two seasons of snaps with the Ragin' Cajuns, Wooldridge has passed for 2,169 yards and 20 touchdowns to six picks and added 261 yards on the ground. With Zeon Chriss transferring to Houston, along with Samari Collier no longer on the roster, Fields and Wooldridge will battle once again for the starting nod this fall.
Wilson's familiarity with ODU offensive coordinator Kevin Decker from their time at Fordham paid dividends last season. The Virginia native won the starting job in time for the '23 opener and posted a solid year (2,149 yards and 17 touchdowns through the air and 289 yards and four scores on the ground). The Fordham transfer did not top 300 yards passing in a game but threw for 277 yards in a narrow loss to James Madison and tossed four scores in a 38-31 victory over Louisiana. Wilson's 11 completions of 40-plus yards tied for third among Sun Belt signal-callers, but his quarterback rating (127.7) was near the bottom of the conference.
Marshall coach Charles Huff hopes a new coordinator (Seth Doege) and scheme shift to the Air Raid provides a spark for an offense that managed only 22.8 points a game last year. And when fall practice starts up for the Thundering Herd, the quarterback battle looms large for how successful this team can be in '24. Last year's leading passer Cam Fancher transferred to Florida Atlantic, leaving Braxton, Cole Pennington, and Colin Parachek to battle for the starting job. Wake Forest transfer Mitch Griffis was in the mix, but he opted to retire earlier this summer. Braxton seemed poised for a breakout performance at Tulsa last year but a new staff and an early-season injury limited his effectiveness. The Texas native completed just 22 of 50 throws for 212 yards and six picks last season but showcased upside in '22 (1,133 yards and 10 touchdown tosses and 145 yards on the ground. There's potential for Braxton to climb this list in '24.
11. Dexter Williams II, Georgia Southern
Georgia Southern's offense has led the Sun Belt in passing attempts and yards through the air per game in each of the last two seasons. Despite coordinator Bryan Ellis opting for a spot on new Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer's staff in Tuscaloosa, the overall scheme isn't expected to change much for the Eagles under new play-caller Ryan Aplin. The battle to replace last year's starter Davis Brin is expected to be a three-man competition between Williams II, JC French, and David Dallas this fall. French completed 13 of 16 throws for 122 yards and a score behind Brin last year, while Dallas has spent the last two seasons recovering from a shoulder injury. Williams II played in four games at Indiana in '22 but was up-and-down in those snaps (13 of 38 for 184 yards and two scores and 165 rushing yards). The Georgia native missed the '21 season due to a torn ACL and suffered a serious knee injury at the end of the '22 campaign. This battle could go deep into the fall.
After starting his career at West Virginia in 2021, Crowder returned to his home state of Alabama to play for Troy in '23. With Gunnar Watson entrenched as the starter, Crowder only received snaps as a backup in all 14 games. During that limited time, Crowder completed nine of 13 pass attempts for 94 yards and a score and added six rushing attempts. New coach Gerad Parker returns only two starters on offense this year, so in addition to the new scheme, the supporting cast is going to look a lot different for Crowder in '24.
New coach Dell McGee is slated to have four signal-callers vying for the starting job this fall, with Gibson and Pitt transfer Christian Veilleux likely to emerge as the favorites. Gibson started his career at Akron in 2019 and spent three seasons with the Zips. During that time, Gibson played in 17 games and threw for 2,471 yards and 15 touchdowns to eight picks. He transferred to Georgia Tech prior to '22 and played in six contests that year, throwing for 589 yards and one score. Georgia State is also the third stop in Veilleux's career after stints at Penn State and Pitt. He threw for 1,179 yards and seven scores over seven games for the Panthers last fall.
14. Hunter Herring, ULM
New coach Bryant Vincent has a busy fall ahead, as he inherits a ULM offense that managed only 17.3 points a contest last season. The Warhawks scored more than 30 points just once in '23 and finished the year with a 5.1 mark in yards per play. Vincent turned around New Mexico's offense last season and previously produced solid attacks at UAB, so there should be optimism for gradual improvement in '24. The quarterback battle is wide open, as Herring and three transfers - General Booty (Oklahoma), Reese Mooney (North Texas), and Aidan Armenta (New Mexico) are slated to battle for the starting job. After beginning his career at Louisiana, Herring transferred to ULM and played in two contests last year. The West Monroe native completed 16 of 30 throws for 121 yards and a score and added 68 yards on the ground. Vincent's play-calling should bring out the best in the quarterbacks, but all four signal-callers bring plenty of unknowns into the season.
Steven Lassan is the senior college football writer and editor for AthlonSports.com. Follow him on Twitter , Instagram , and Facebook .
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