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With Saturday's announcement of Raymond Cotton's departure from the Ole Miss football team, head coach Houston Nutt faces the prospect of entering the 2010 campaign with only two scholarship quarterbacks on the roster. Nutt addresses that and other challenges in the following Q&A.
Have you ever gone through a season with just two scholarship quarterbacks?
A: Yes, one other time, and I had to go to the intramural fields to get a young man by the name of John Rutledge to finish the 2000 season for us at Arkansas. Ironically, he played against Ole Miss. Having so few numbers at that position certainly puts a lot of pressure on the guys we have to stay healthy and perform at a high level.
What are your options with such inexperienced QBs?
A: I feel good about Nathan Stanley after an excellent spring. I thought he made very good decisions. He went to the Manning Passing Academy this summer, and all of the Mannings said he threw very well. The one thing he doesn't have is a lot of experience, but that's going to come in time. Randall Mackey is an extremely talented, versatile player, but he has never taken a snap as a Division I quarterback. Like Nathan, he needs that experience.
What has been your experience with recruiting players late in the summer?
A: Fortunately I haven't had to do that very often. Rarely are there are any talented players still available in the summertime. The process can be very difficult, because there's no relationship there. You have to go off the word of a coach. Plus the player has to trust you, because he hasn't met you or spent any time with you. The relationship factor makes it very difficult. However, there are unique situations that force you to go that route; if a signee did not make a test score, a player was unable to compete because of injury or sickness, or in this case, a player decides to transfer.
What are the pros and cons of using a scholarship on a prospect with only one or two years of eligibility remaining?
A: The pros are that they can directly help your football team, because they fill a need you have. However, we've signed the maximum number of players we could sign. It's unlikely we would use a scholarship on a player with just one year of eligibility. But if the player were willing to join the team as a non-scholarship player, we would bring them in on an official visit, get to know the young man and put him in front of our team.
What are the hurdles that a transfer would face this late in the summer?
A: Obviously, there is a lot of paperwork to process in a short time. First and foremost, he has to get accepted to the university, whether that means an undergraduate or graduate program. Then there is the adjustment to a new team, teammates and terminology. It's a different place, a different conference, a different environment. But it can also be a good situation.
