When Jackson State takes the field at the MEAC/SWAC Challenge, it will be the first time — at least publicly — the starting quarterback for the 2023 season will be known.
Head coach T.C. Taylor on Tuesday said that he will not name his starter until right before kickoff Saturday night.
“We will take that into the game,” Taylor said about when he will officially name the starting quarterback. “The guy that we feel good about, we are going to send him out there.”
Among the possible predecessors for the starting job are University of Lousiana transfer Zy McDonald, Holmes Community College signal-caller Philip Short, Jacobian Morgan, and former South Carolina and Virginia Tech quarterback Jason Brown.
Brown, the redshirt senior signal-caller, appeared in three games last season for the Hokies, completing 7 of his 13 pass attempts for 65 yards.
Prior to his time in Blacksburg, Brown spent a year in South Carolina in 2021. There, he appeared in seven games, which included four starts. In those games, South Carolina went 2-2, including wins against Florida and Auburn. He led the Gamecocks in passing touchdowns with eight and also threw for 721 yards, completing 55.6% of his passes.
At peace. 🦦 #GuardTHEEYard. 4️⃣ pic.twitter.com/51W4TnA3Xk
— Jason Brown (@JasonBrown_QB) June 13, 2023
Before moving to the FBS, Brown was a 2019 FCS All-America selection at St. Francis (PA) after pacing the Northeast Conference with 3,084 passing yards, 28 touchdowns, and six interceptions while completing 62.3% of his passes.
McDonald returns to his home state of Mississippi, where he had a decorated high school career at Ridgeland High School. He finished with 10,852 career passing yards throwing for 100 touchdowns while also rushing for 1,631 rushing yards and scoring 24 touchdowns. In 2020, he was named the Class 5A All-State Offensive MVP.
Ain’t no recipe, this my season 🖤 #TheeGeneral #Exit119 pic.twitter.com/bZxIMtLcq9
— JaCobian Morgan (@jacobian_morgan) July 30, 2023
Coming from Madison Ridgeland Academy, where he won the Mississippi High School Player of the Year award in 2019, Short began his college career at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, where he played two seasons.
Short recorded 2,600 passing yards completing 56% of his passes, and tallied 23 touchdowns in two seasons and 13 total games. In 2022, Short played for Holmes Community College, where he had his best season as a collegiate player.
“When we decide who the guy is, we are going to stand behind him,” said Taylor. “There is not going to be a quarterback carousel, but we have to get a guy that this team and coaching staff believe in and lead this football team to victories.”
Even though Taylor has yet to publicly reveal the starter before Saturday — part strategy to force South Carolina State to prepare for multiple quarterbacks — he suggested that internally the team has an idea of who will be QB1 for the Tigers.
“They (the players) have some idea, but you have to channel that, and our opponent doesn’t know who to prepare for,” he said. “What our football team knows is that no matter who’s out there, we have a chance to win.
“We’ll see when that time comes at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday night.”
