Position Breakdown 2010: Quarterbacks

The 2010 position preview series begins with the guys who are so comfortable with their masculinity, they go back-of-the-hand to nuts on every play to get their hands on the football. We'll call them quarterbacks.

These force-your-voice-to-be-deep-and-raspy signal callers have a proud and productive history under Fresno State coach Pat Hill, a trend that didn't take a year off in 2009. Yes, the spotlight was 7 yards behind the quarterbacks all season (followed quickly by it being 65 yards in front of them), but even with front row seats to the Ryan Mathews show, Ryan Colburn and Derek Carr flashed exciting glimpses as to what the 2010 air assault could bring.

In addition to those glimpses, the Bulldogs have been working hard behind the scenes to add yet another dimension to the offense. This addition, known largely as the wildcat, isn't just for show. Multiple players can fill this role capably for Fresno State, while a couple can do so spectacularly.

Throughout our position-by-position previews, we'll break down each player, provide our individual thoughts on each player and provide a general outlook for what to expect from each facet of your 2010 Bulldogs. -- DaCo

Returners: Ryan Colburn, Derek Carr, Tyler Stirewalt

Newcomers: Kelly O'Brien, Greg Watson

Lost: Ebahn Feathers

Ryan Colburn: Improved Colburn ready to surprise

Sr, LH, 6'3", 220

Visalia (Central Valley Christian HS)

This is not last year's Ryan Colburn. Entering the 2009 season, Colburn had attempted just five career passes and was neck-and-neck in a fall camp battle with Derek Carr for the starting job. Exiting 2009, Colburn had completed 181 of 298 passes (61%) for 2,459 yards, 19 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Entering 2010, Colburn has a python's grip on the starting role and has increased vocal leadership, respect and the confidence of his teammates. Throughout fall camp, Colburn has been encouraging teammates with "good jobs" while composing himself with the on-field poise of a team leader. And he's complemented those intangibles with his play, making what coach Pat Hill called "NFL throws" in the camp's first scrimmage. He also showed he still has that "Bulldog Football" mentality, making a crackback block on a screen pass despite the fact he was wearing a yellow, don't-hit-me practice jersey.

DaCo on Colburn: Subtract Derek Carr from the mix and Ryan Colburn is viewed as a potential breakout star for this team. This is a guy who has earned and deserves massive respect for not only his work ethic and leadership, but his actual on-field ability. Colburn is nothing short of a great person and is easy to root for. Beyond that,he has shown seriously impressive offseason growth. His improvements leave no doubt he's capable of leading this team to a first-place WAC finish.

FSDogs1 on Colburn: Personality wise, Colburn is practically the perfect Bulldog. His love for the community, pride for what being a Bulldog stands for and his chip-on-the-shoulder mentality are ideal qualities for a likeable, winning QB. Expect him to throw for more yards, more touchdowns and at least 25% less interceptions as a senior.

Derek Carr: Everyone's favorite Carr still waiting to be unveiled

So, 6'3", 205

Bakersfield (Bakersfield Christian HS)

The star QB waiting in the wings looks like he will stay in the wings for at least one more year, barring any injuries. It remains obvious to practice regulars that Carr has the strongest arm and best accuracy on the team. But Colburn has proven to be a viable option as a starter, so there's no reason to sit him on the bench for a year when Carr is eligible to redshirt. But that'll be the key to the quarterback situation this year -- finding a capable backup not named Carr so that Carr can redshirt and preserve three years of eligibility for the post-Colburn era. In limited action as a true freshman, Carr completed 10 of 14 passes for 112 yards. Fans should be chomping at the bit for the near future with a guy who can make throws most college QBs can't and has had the privilege of growing up under the tutelage of an older brother who was the NFL's No. 1 overall draft pick in 2002.

DaCo on Carr: It should come as no surprise after watching Derek Carr play that his favorite player is Brett Favre. He's energetic, he's youthful, just cocky enough and has a cannon for an arm. Carr has also mastered a complicated pro-style offense before this 2010 season, and physically, is the baseball equivalent to a 5-tool player. He is the best quarterback on this team still, which is saying something. His pre-snap reads, throwing versatility and natural instincts for the game are mind-boggling. And he still has a redshirt year to make even more growth.

FSDogs1 on Carr: As exciting as Carr's potential is, and as confident as he is, he needs to continue working as hard as he has been and focus on being the Bulldogs go-to QB when he's called upon. With a guy with his ability, it's important to not let the future-pro thoughts turn into a hinderance the way it did with some Bulldogs in the disgusting 2006 season.

Tyler Stirewalt: Our Tyler Stirewalt is better than yours

R-Fr, 6'2", 200

San Bernardino (Aquinas HS)

It's still a bit early to tell what direction the coaching staff is leaning with Tyler Stirewalt, a walk-on who redshirted last season. Pat Hill has made a habit of develping walk-ons at Fresno State, but that hasn't included the QB position. Stirewalt is in uncharted territory there, but performed well in camp relative to the newcomers. He showed more comfort not only in his mechanics, but also in his command of the offense, and showed nice zip on the ball. But he never got to show his stuff against the first-team defense.

DaCo on Stirewalt: Stirewalt received one of the first double-takes of the year this camp after ridding himself of the 2009 Stirewalt. I've got to give him some credit for working so hard to improve, despite the fact he will knowingly be pushed to the side his entire career. Having a quarterback who can provide quality reps for the young and talented receivers gives him some value.

FSDogs1 Stirewalt: Stirewalt's offseason improvement was a pleasant surprise during fall camp, but I still get the feeling the coaching staff expects newcomer Kelly O'Brien to develop into the better of the two.

Kelly O'Brien: O'Brien to fill backup role, be introduced to weight room

So, 6'7", 200
Manhattan Beach (Foothill JC)

While finding a capable starter is far from an issue, finding a No. 2 who can step up and allow Derek Carr to redshirt is mission No. 1. Kelly O'Brien, son of former New York Jets star Ken O'Brien, was brought in from the JC ranks to be an immediate help. But he had a rough start to fall camp, throwing as many balls into the ground as into receivers' hands. That started to change as camp went on and O'Brien showed soft touch on the deep ball and an improved short and intermediate game. Unfortunately, he didn't take any first- and second-team reps early in camp -- which would have allowed for a more telling scouting report. And on a side note, O'Brien is skinny. Really really skinny.

DaCo on O'Brien: O'Brien, like all the other QBs not named Colburn or Carr, showed rapid improvement in camp. The deep ball is no doubt his best throw, yet all of his throws have improved to the level of good enough. Still, O'Brien does get lost at times when his targets are in traffic. His ability to fill out his role as the No. 2 QB is promising, but not guaranteed.

FSDogs1 on O'Brien: After three days of fall camp, the nerves sat in for the QB situation behind Colburn and Carr. But O'Brien showed strong in the first scrimmage and his improvement brightens the outlook he'll develop further.

Greg Watson: Greg Watson > Ebahn Feathers

Fr, 5'11", 200

Rancho Cucamonga (Rancho Cucamonga HS)

Greg Watson is easily the most intriguing QB prospect on the roster, especially with highly-regarded Marcus McDade not qualifying this fall. Watson is similar in size to the departed Ebahn Feathers, but less of a distraction and already a better passer. He still needs work on the passing fundamentals, as does O'Brien, but the ability to make big plays came out in the first scrimmage on his 65-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Saunders. It would be nice to see more of what Watson is capable of on the run.

DaCo on Watson: Anyone who attended practice this camp noticed the elephant in the room. No Mark Mangino wasn't observing practice from the berm, but Greg Watson does have a striking resemblance to Ebahn Feathers in appearance, if only the first time you see him. Watson showed some of the best growth on a day-to-day basis, and really is intriguing. He has solid arm strength and can run when needed, though he appears content to throw for now.

FSDogs1 on Watson: With all the different "wildcat" QB combos the 'Dogs have shown early, it's surprising not to see Watson take on more of that role. He has worked on certain option packages, but I'd like to get a better gauge on his running ability.

"WildCat": The WildCat, now with more 'it works'

Perhaps the most forgotten man on the entire Fresno State roster might be responsible for some of the biggest plays the 2010 season could offer. Rashad Evans, the true freshman phenom at receiver two years ago, will once again fill that role. But Evans also filled the role of scout team MVP as a QB a year ago, performing his impersonating duties as Diondre Borel and other scrambling QBs a little too well. While Evans is guaranteed a prominent role in this formation, the Bulldogs have several other thrilling prospects as well. Among them is Isaiah Burse, a true freshman wide receiver and high school state-champion quarterback with immediate impact potential. Running backs Robbie Rouse, A.J. Ellis and Michael Harris also possess the ability to make plays out of this formation, which has been a focus this camp. When used, expect a wide array of potential plays, rather than the fake handoff, off-tackle runs used in games to date.

DaCo on the WildCat: Historically, I haven't been the biggest fan of the wildcat formation. But, I am starting to really become intrigued by its possibilities on this team, if only situationally. Rashad Evans is simply lethal out of this thing, and Isaiah Burse adds a great passing element to the position. This formation has gone from useless in this program to one of the more advanced wildcats around, with the potential to make a house call on any given play.

FSDogs1 on the WildCat: Last season, the Bulldogs seemingly had the tools to put together a successful wildcat package, but it was too predictable because they never passed out of the formation. Plus, Ryan Mathews' 6 yards per carry were much more of a sure thing than whatever Ebahn Feathers was trying to do. This year there is no Mathews, meaning the formation could become more vital to the offense. Or not?

Position Rating:

Fresno State of Affairs: Quarterbacks

It's never too soon to look ahead to next year -- especially when us Bulldog Bouncers are always thinking years in advance when it comes to Fresno State football. So we'll examine each position, whether fans can expect an improvement or a drop off next year and touch on the up and comers. As always, we encourage your opinions as well.

Key Losses: None
Fresno State of Affairs 2010: Slightly Improved

Once again this will be the most magnified position at Fresno State in the offseason. But this year it won't be because there's no experienced starter -- it'll be because people are questioning whether the incumbent is a better starting choice than the much ballyhooed youngster? And whoever does get the nod will have more responsibility now that Ryan Mathews is headed to the NFL, and the Bulldogs will be less reliable on the run.

Senior Ryan Colburn (6-3, 220) started all 13 games for the Bulldogs in 2009, throwing for 2,459 yards and 19 touchdowns while completing 61% of his passes. The one downside -- and it's a big one -- were his nine interceptions, many of which came at the most inopportune times. Namely, there was the double overtime pick that cost the Bulldogs a win at Wisconsin, the game-opening pick-six against Boise State and the pick near the 5-yard line that ended a go-ahead drive at Cincinnati. As a second-year starter though, it's likely Colburn will improve his decision making and ball security. Taking that into consideration, Colburn still proved to be an upgrade from Tom Brandstater the previous three seasons. Colburn's competitive spirit, leadership and presence among teammates makes him an ideal leader. But the question remains, is there an even better option waiting in the wings?

It's now clear that all the hype about Derek Carr (6-3, 190) during his true freshman season was merited. While Carr got few opportunities to prove himself in game situations (especially late in the year), he displayed more tools and ability than any other quarterback on the roster in fall camp. Carr finished the season having completed 10 of 14 passes (two of which were drops) for a 71% completion percentage and a total of 112 yards in five games. It's unfortunate he didn't get more live game looks, because now Colburn has the decided experience advantage and it would be tough to justify starting over developing a quarterback. Still, Carr can be expected to develop quicker than the average prospect -- he's a special talent. And even if he's not the starter again in 2010, it'll be fascinating to see how coach Pat Hill handles his situation (please Hill, if you're not going to start Carr, redshirt him so he can start the next three years instead of two).

The X-factor of the group remains in sophomore Ebahn Feathers (6-0, 210), who has now become somewhat of a mystery regarding his status in the program. The most attentive fans noticed he wasn't on the sidelines for the home finale win over Louisiana Tech or the road finale win at Illinois. Word on local radio shows was that Feathers had some personal matters to take care of, and he said on 1430 ESPN it wasn't a matter of grades. However, Feathers did dress for the New Mexico Bowl, but didn't play. Assuming he's back at the quarterback position next season (we have no reason to believe otherwise right now), Feathers still poses a huge threat as a runner, but needs to prove how bad he wants playing time by putting in the offseason work on his passing skills. Feathers played in seven games in his first season of action, running for 57 yards (5.2 per carry) and a touchdown and passing for 7 yards and a score while completing 2 of 3 attempts.

In the two games Feathers didn't dress, he was replaced on the sideline by walk-on Tyler Stirewalt (6-1, 190), who saw no action. Stirewalt isn't likely to see playing time unless an emergency situation comes up, but did show he can hold his own against the scout team during the Spring Game.

Rounding out the depth chart looks like it will be verbal commitment Marcus McDade (6-3, 195) out of St. Mary's High in Stockton (it won't be official until he signs on National Letter of Intent Day Feb. 3). McDade was rated by one scouting service as the fifth strongest high school arm in the country (see video). It would be ideal for the Bulldogs, and for McDade, if he greyshirted this year, redshirted in 2011 and then had two or three years to potentially start once Carr graduates.

QUARTERBACKS

Returning lettermen: 1

Incoming: 2

Lost: 2 (Tom Brandstater, Matt Faulkner)

It’s the most visible position on a football team, yet presents the most invisible outlook at Fresno State. It’s hard to say, just five days before the season opener, if the coaches even know who’s going to start yet. On one hand, the position Pat Hill is in to choose his guy is not enviable. On the other hand, it’s refreshing to have so many options that seem to be good ones. While no one can predict with certainty who will take that first snap on Saturday against UC Davis, laying out the evidence makes for interesting debate and office talk.

Junior Ryan Colburn (6-3, 220) is the only quarterback who’s actually played in a college game, but hasn’t thrown a pass in a game since 2007 – when he threw for 48 yards in garbage time at Oregon. Overall, the left-handed Colburn is 4 for 5 for 52 yards. One can’t help but question why Pat Hill didn’t get Colburn into more game situations last season in preparation for life after Tom Brandstater? If Hill would have played Colburn more last year he’d have more experience and coaches would be more knowledgeable of his in-game capabilities, which would have made for an easier decision this fall as to who gets the starting nod. The biggest plus going for Colburn is his familiarity with the playbook and his teammates – he’s been around some of them for three-plus years.

True freshman Derek Carr (6-3, 190), who graduated high school a semester early to participate in spring camp and get a running start, is the other candidate. He worked with offensive coordinator Jeff Grady upon arrival to learn the offense – but as the younger brother of former all-everything Bulldog David Carr, he’s been somewhat familiar with it all his life. Coming in under the tutelage of David, Hill says Derek is further along than his big bro, the former No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Carr is hands down the most talented incoming signee Hill’s ever had at the position, but he’s also just 18 years old and has never even dressed for a college game.

As far as the attributes go, both Colburn and Carr should develop into upgrades over Brandstater (yes, the same Brandstater who threw for 100-plus yards for the Denver Broncos Sunday). It’s not a knock on Brandstater, so much as a compliment on Colburn and Carr’s potential. And playing quarterback for Fresno State is always a privilege – Hill’s four starters since taking the head coaching job in 1997 are Billy Volek (San Diego Chargers), David Carr (New York Giants), Paul Pinegar and Brandstater. In practice and scrimmage situations, there’s no doubt Colburn and Carr have each thrown a better deep ball than Brandstater – especially the corner end zone routes. Hill admits as much, saying the Bulldogs haven’t had this kind of deep-ball capability since the David Carr years of 2000-01.

In the first few days of fall camp, the two looked fairly even, with Colburn getting a slight edge for his command of the huddle. But that seemed to change around the time the team got into full pads. Carr started making the “wow” throws with more consistency and Colburn was turning the ball over more often. Carr also assumed more of a presence amongst teammates and offers an element of confidence that seemed to be missing in recent years. Carr is the faster of the two, but Colburn is more physically mature and has great strength. Both can run option plays, but Carr is more likely to take it toward the sideline, where Colburn can go up the gut. Carr also has greater zip on his passes.

From an outside perspective looking in, it boils down to this – if Hill picks a quarterback with his heart it’ll be Colburn, the elder statesman who’s paid his dues and patiently awaited his turn. He at least deserves a shot right? But if Hill picks with emotions aside, it’ll be Carr, the youngster who is already as good as anyone but offers much higher upside as a potential four-year starter. Both are likely to see time in the opener. If Colburn is the guy, and assuming he keeps the role next season, the Bulldogs must redshirt Carr at some point to preserve at least three years with him at the helm – it would be dumb not to.

The one guy who already knows his role is redshirt freshman Ebahn Feathers (6-0, 210), another quarterback that many fans would like to see start. The knock on Feathers is he hasn’t progressed far enough throwing the football to be a starter yet. But he’s darn fast, running a 4.38 40-yard dash coming out of high school, and will have special packages as a change-of-pace guy for the Bulldogs. Feathers is the type of guy opponents can’t afford not to prepare for, and can break a huge play at any time – he had several long runs in the spring game. The happy, go-lucky Feathers is potentially deadly in the option game, and adds an element never before seen in Fresno State’s offense. All three quarterbacks are Valley products in Colburn (Central Valley Christian in Visalia), Feathers (Washington Union in Fresno) and Carr (Bakersfield Christian).

Freshman walk-on Tyler Stirewalt (6-1, 190) was brought in to fill out the roster and provide a scout team leader. But the Bulldogs seemed to get a bonus as he showed off a strong arm with zip in fall scrimmages, and threw a touchdown pass to Austin Raphael in the first scrimmage.

Rating: 7 of 10