If you’re looking to draft a college football fantasy team, you may not have to leave the Research Triangle to find all your quarterbacks.
The Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill metro boasts what could be the best college quarterback neighborhood in the nation for 2023.
Consider the lineup under center for the area’s four most prominent football-playing schools, playing just a miles apart: North Carolina’s Drake Maye, Duke’s Riley Leonard, NC State’s Brennan Armstrong and North Carolina Central’s Davius Richard.
Together, this foursome threw for 12,159 yards and 90 touchdowns a year ago. Career-wise, they boast a collective 23,606 passing yards and 170 passing touchdowns.
But throwing the football isn’t all they can do – and this may be what sets them apart from everyone else as a group. The Triangle QB quartet posted some eye-popping rushing numbers in 2022 (note the explosive plays on the ground by each):
- Richard: 788 yards, 15 rushing touchdowns (longest run of 66 yards)
- Leonard: 699 yards, 13 rushing touchdowns (longest run of 74 yards)
- Maye: 698 yards, 7 rushing touchdowns (longest run of 42 yards)
- Armstrong: 371 yards, 6 rushing touchdowns (longest run of 64 yards)
Granted, few places in the country match the Triangle with such a dense population of football schools. But NC Football News isn’t the only one asking about this fearsome foursome’s collective prowess. Earlier this summer, The College Football Network tweeted out, “Does the Research Triangle Region have the most stacked QB room in the nation?”
We may be biased as a North Carolina-based outlet, but we believe the answer is a resounding “yes.”
There are numerous great quarterbacks all across FBS and FCS. And solid quarterback “neighborhoods” as well. We’ll examine three areas that could contend with the Triangle this season, though we still believe the local crew wins out:
Contender #1: Los Angeles
Caleb Williams (USC) and ?????? (UCLA)
Last season, LA’s QB neighborhood had everyone’s beat. Williams won the Heisman Trophy (4,537 passing yards, 42 touchdowns, only 5 interceptions) and UCLA’s Dorian Thompson-Robinson played his way into the Bruins’ record book as career passing leader (3,169 passing yards, 27 touchdowns to push him past 10,000 yards for his career).
Williams returns to defend his Heisman award in 2023. But DTR is now with the Cleveland Browns, leaving UCLA to determine a replacement.
Five-star true freshman Dante Moore has earned summer headlines for the Bruins. He’s battling several others, including junior Ethan Garbers (294 yards, 2 TDs in a backup role a year ago). No clear-cut favorite has emerged. It’s hard to pick Los Angeles over the Triangle in this case: too much is unknown for one of the schools.
Interestingly, the Research Triangle and Los Angeles will intersect in Week 3 of the season. Richard will pilot NC Central against whoever takes the quarterback reins for UCLA when the teams meet in the Rose Bowl on Sept. 16.
As a team UCLA will be favored. At the QB position, we’ll take Richard.
“He’s an unbelievable young man. Outstanding character,” Central coach Trei Oliver said in an interview with The Bluebloods a few weeks ago. “He didn’t put the numbers up last year that he probably would have wanted because he didn’t play in the fourth quarter of about five games. We’re going to let him go this year, though. We’re going to let him go and let him throw it around a little bit.”
As a side note, the preseason debate seems split on whether Williams or Maye (or someone else) will be the best college quarterback in 2023 – and top NFL draft choice next April. Strong cases can be made for Williams or Maye, or maybe other players like Oregon’s Bo Nix or Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.
Writer Clint Brewster from 247Sports posted a story this week (HERE) on why he believes Maye leads the nation’s QB pack.
“You, the Heisman voters and 2024 NFL Draft pundits say it’s Williams. I chose Maye because of his total package of physical traits and cerebral qualities,” Brewster wrote. “Maye is a 6-foot-5, 225-pound quarterback who compares to Peyton Manning above the shoulders and the tangible traits of a Josh Allen. Maye is basically a prototype in all areas of of the game, and he isn’t even 21-years-old yet.
“Some have compared Maye to Justin Herbert because of his size and mobility, but Maye has much more of a natural throwing motion and operational quickness. He has a rare combination of silky footwork and incredibly smooth arm action in the pocket.”
Contender #2: Tallahassee, Fla.
Jordan Travis (Florida State) and Jeremy Moussa (Florida A&M)
This neighborhood might be the biggest challenger to the Triangle when the dust settles on 2023.
Travis received votes for ACC player of the year, and the Seminoles have been picked as a top 10 – or in some cases top 5 – team nationally for 2023. FSU was voted second in the preseason ACC poll, ahead of UNC (third), NC State (fourth) and Duke (sixth).
Travis accounted for 32 touchdowns a year ago, including seven on the ground. He threw for 3,214 yards and also is considered a solid pro prospect.
Florida State coach Mike Norvell said at ACC Media Days that he suggested that Travis spend time admiring the Heisman awards in the Seminoles’ trophy case for inspiration during the off-season.
“I fully believe that he has the talent … to be able to win one of those,” the coach said. “Obviously last year he took some positive steps in that direction and now he’s in the conversation. But even to today, it’s not about the trophy for Jordan. It’s about being all that he can be as a player but equally as much as a teammate and to help this football team.”
NC State and North Carolina avoid Florida State head-to-head. But we’ll get a Leonard vs. Travis showdown when Duke travels to Tallahassee on Oct. 21.
Leonard could surprise, though on paper he’ll be the undercard to Travis.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him as an established starter going into year two, as a kid who is a lot more comfortable in our system going into year two, a stronger kid going into year two,” Duke coach Mike Elko said during ACC Media Days. “I think his game can even take another step.”
North Carolina’s much-maligned defense saw plenty of Florida A&M’s Moussa, now a graduate student, at the start of last season. The Tar Heels won the game 56-24, but Moussa moved the Rattlers up and down the field, completing 28-of-38 passes for 279 yards and two touchdowns.
That game was Maye’s debut as Carolina’s starter, and he obviously stole the show: 29-of-37 passing for 294 yards and five (!) touchdowns. He also rushed for 55 yards and four carries.
For now, advantage Triangle in this match-up as well.
Contender #3: Columbia, S.C.
Spencer Rattler (USC) and ???? (Benedict College)
There was a time when South Carolina quarterback Spencer Rattler found himself in the the Heisman conversation. He burst onto the scene at Oklahoma but eventually transferred to the Gamecocks after falling out of favor in Norman.
Rattler got off to a sluggish start a year ago in Columbia but finished the season strong, helping South Carolina end a losing streak against Clemson (360 passing yards). The Gamecocksswon eight total games and played Notre Dame tough in its bowl before falling 45-38. Rattler found his groove, and confidence surrounds the program going into this season.
The early lead in the QB neighborhood battle could be established in week one: North Carolina plays South Carolina in Charlotte at the Duke’s Mayo Kickoff Classic (Sept. 2). It’s a huge game on many fronts as the two Carolinas battle for bragging rights and a burst of momentum to start the season. The showcase will be on national TV (ABC) in the night slot. With Maye and Rattler slinging it, the game could be a high-scoring affair.
A Triangle team will see Division II Benedict on that same evening, as the Shaw Bears visit the Tigers. Benedict boasted a solid quarterback a year ago in Eric Phoenix. In three years with the Tigers, Phoenix threw for 4,400 yards and 32 touchdowns. But Phoenix transferred to FCS Murray State in the off-season.
Benedict is still trying to pin down its new starter. Zay Foster took most of the reps in the spring but he’s only attempted 51 passes at the collegiate level.
“We signed a transfer quarterback, we signed a high school quarterback and we’re gonna sign another transfer quarterback,” Bennett coach Chennis Berry told HBCU Gameday after the spring. “So ultimately, at the end of the day, we’ll be ready when the ball kicks off on September 2.”
For now, advantage Triangle.
Backyard brawls, Triangle-style
Duke has played NC Central seven times in its history, but the last meeting came in 2018. NC State and North Carolina have never faced the Eagles. Richard will get one chance against an FBS foe this season, during the UCLA trip. In-state opponents for Central include rivals NC A&T and Winston-Salem State, as well as Elon and Campbell.
There will be a nice round-robin of head-to-heads among the other three quarterbacks. NC State visits Duke on Oct. 14, Duke travels to North Carolina on Nov. 11. The annual State-Carolina clash will be Nov. 25 in Raleigh.
At least one of the four standout quarterbacks will be playing in the Triangle every week of the season, except for one (NCSU, UNC, Duke, NCCU all away Sept. 22-23).
Fans will be treated to all four playing in the Triangle the weekend of Nov. 2-4 – Duke hosts Wake Forest that Thursday. On Saturday, Norfolk State comes to NC Central, Miami visits NC State, and Campbell travels to UNC. (If we expanded the Triangle QB neighborhood out another 30 miles or so, Campbell’s Hajj-Malik Williams would be another signal caller to consider).
Conclusions
There will be strong competition to the Triangle for the unofficial crown of Best Quarterback Neighborhood in the nation. Los Angeles, Tallahassee or Columbia may win the day in the end or other places might emerge as the season rolls on.
We’ll keep tabs, but on paper we still believe the Triangle’s foursome is heads above the rest.
Maye has Heisman hopes and would be our first pick in a fantasy draft. Richard was picked as the MEAC’s preseason player of the year. Leonard could move up in all-ACC balloting.
Armstrong, who transferred to NC State from Virginia, could be the hidden gem. He reunites with his former offensive coordinator, Robert Anae. With those two paired together in 2021 at Virginia, Armstrong eclipsed Maye’s 2022 passing yardage numbers (4,449 yards) and recorded 31 touchdowns.
Armstong’s career numbers should have NC State fans hopeful the offense will take a big leap forward in 2023: 9,034 career passing yards and 58 touchdowns (though he does have 35 interceptions, 12 a year ago).
Armstrong also has 20 rushing touchdowns and 1,267 career rushing yards – a fact that has not been lost on NC State coach Dave Doeren.
“In spring ball … we ran a read play and (Armstrong) took off for like an 80-yard touchdown run,” Doeren said in an interview with Cory Smith of 247 Sports. “I knew he was an athletic dude; I didn’t know he could run like that. It was 20 miles per hour on our GPS, so that was different. We haven’t had a quarterback at NC State since I’ve been here that had that kind of speed.
“Not that we’re gonna run him all the time, but now the option’s real. When he pulls the ball, it’s not four or five yards then dive on the ground.
“He’s tough.”
And part of the best quarterback neighborhood in college football.
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