7/10/2016 football Edit

Tech has well-rounded group of Quarterbacks for 2016

Jonathan Ford • BleedTechBlue

Columnist

Jonathan Ford is the former Publisher of BleedTechBlue.com. He now lives in Nashville, TN with his wife Allison and is an IT Director for Concept Technology. Ford graduated from Tech in 2006.

For the first time in two years, Louisiana Tech will start a quarterback who did not come from a Power 5 institution as a fifth year graduate transfer.

Ryan Higgins had a well-documented rough beginning to his career at Tech as a starting quarterback in 2013. A poor offensive line, inexperience as a redshirt freshman and a brand new offense in Skip Holtz's first season all led to plenty of struggles for Higgins.

During the 2013 season Ryan Higgins saw lots of action but a bad offensive line and inexperience made success tough to attain. (Associated Press)

This past spring Higgins separated himself early and often as the best choice to lead the Bulldogs in 2016. He has a good grasp on the offense and enough athleticism to make plays with his feet. Learning how to watch film from Cody Sokol in 2014 and watching Jeff Driskel lead and make plays with his feet in 2015 have groomed Higgins to be the Bulldogs quarterback in his redshirt senior season.

Lucky for Tech the Bulldogs roster finally has some good young quarterback depth beginning with Price Wilson. Wilson has the most "arm talent" in the quarterback room but his accuracy proved to be a problem at times in the spring but really finished well. He needed to lose some weight to be able to move better in the pocket and has done so. Wilson will likely be the backup quarterback this season for Higgins.

J'mar Smith is the most athletic quarterback on Tech's roster. He has the ability to make lots of things happen on the ground but needs to work on his accuracy throwing the football.

Tech was able to get an early enrollee in 2016 to participate in Spring Football when Jack Abraham graduated early from Oxford High School (Miss.). Abraham is a coach's dream in the film room and has an extremely high football IQ. His stature was his knock coming out of high school but that could be said for all of Tech's quarterbacks. Wilson has grown taller since he has been at Tech and it appears Abraham has as well. Tech great quarterback Tim Rattay takes over as Quarterbacks Coach this season as Tony Petersen left for East Carolina. Rattay knows all too well what it is like to be knocked as a quarterback for not being tall enough.

The battle for the No. 3 quarterback spot will be interesting to see in fall camp. Abraham or Smith will have to prove themselves early because the reps will decrease significantly for both as the season draws near.

With a plethora of talent at receiver for Higgins and Co. to throw to and a veteran offensive line protecting, Tech quarterbacks should have a good year.