The quarterbacks of the Nicholls football team are battling to decide who will be the starter in the fall.
Last season, three different quarterbacks started for the Colonels. Junior Beaux Hebert started the team’s first game against the Oregon Ducks but left the game with a concussion. Junior Kalen Henderson began the second game against Western Michigan but suffered a broken leg and he was replaced by sophomore Tuskani Figaro who started most of the remaining games.
“Injuries affected us last year for sure but everybody’s healthy now. I’ve got a good competition. I’m really working mainly three guys right now because they’re really not enough plays in practice. They’re looking at each other and they’re competing because they want to be the guy,” Head coach Charlie Stubbs said. “I’ve got a healthy situation but it sure is nice to have them all out healthy here. Their arms are strong and their legs are ready to go so I’m anxious to see how good we can get in spring before it’s all over.”
Stubbs said that each of the three quarterbacks who could possibly get the starting job bring something different to the offense.
“It helps me a lot because some of the guys might be better at throwing certain passes or better at running certain plays so it’s good to have a variety of guys,” Stubbs said. “If they were all the same and you couldn’t get it done there, changing the guy isn’t really that big of a deal. But if you go and say this style isn’t getting it but if I add this or put this person in that can do these things that can hurt a defense then that’s great that I have that to draw from.”
Henderson, who finished the season with 785 passing yards and 4 passing touchdowns despite only appearing in six games, is looking to get back into the groove of things after a season dealing with injuries.
“I’m feeling pretty good. I think I made a full recovery with my leg and my ankle. It’s just kind of weird getting back out here and moving around a little bit like I was seven or eight months ago. I think, as far as responding to rehab, I’m doing well,” Henderson said.
Figaro said that he started off spring training well but has committed a few mental mistakes at times and slipped up on his mechanics. However, he believes that the team is destined for a big year in the fall.
“It’s big for me, for all of us. I know we all had injuries throughout the season and coming in healthy for this spring will be good for competition. It just pushes everybody to their limit,” Figaro said. “We keep breaking it down and telling each other finish and conference champs. We’ve got big expectations. We feel like we have the team this year to make some moves in conference and be able to compete with the teams that have been at the top in conference and compete for that number one spot.”
Stubbs agreed that competition was good for the quarterbacks competing for the job as well as the rest of the team.
“By having pretty good quarterbacks, they lead by their play. When they’re out there bouncing around and making plays, it gets contagious and the other ten guys play better,” Stubbs said. “Then when the defense sees that we can make plays on offense and score points, it only gives them that much more confidence.”