A year ago, Elon football rode a transfer quarterback with Power 5 experience to eight wins, an FCS playoff appearance and a No. 18 national ranking in the AFCA coaches poll.
The Phoenix aim to replicate that blueprint again this season, announcing graduate transfer Matthew Downing as its projected starting signal caller for Thursday’s nationally televised opener at Wake Forest.
Downing has seen game action at Georgia and TCU since 2018, including a start for the Horned Frogs in a 2020 contest against Iowa State. He most recently played at Louisiana Tech in 2022, starting the opener against Missouri and appearing in four games before a knee injury ended his season.
Downing steps into the Elon starting role held last year by Matthew McKay, who transferred in from NC State. McKay threw for 2,709 yards and 21 scores, helping the Phoenix to the FCS playoffs for only the fourth time in its history.
Downing beat out Justin Allen and William Lankford for the starting role. Allen, a redshirt junior, gives Elon an experienced back-up, having played in 10 games as both a starter and reserve. He has 355 passing yards and two touchdowns to his credit. Coach Tony Trisciani said Lankford, a redshirt freshman, had an impressive spring and provides even more depth.
“We put a lot on our quarterback,” Trisciani said in a recent story posted at ElonPhoenix.com. “We need a quarterback. That is what we have been recruiting, and that is what we have in our program.”
Downing played in four games for Georgia in 2018, helping the Bulldogs finish 11-3 and ranked seventh in the country. He went 4-for-4 passing against UMass.
After transferring to TCU and redshirting in 2019, Downing played in seven games for the Horned Frogs across 2020-21 (working behind eventual Heisman runner-up Max Duggan). In his first collegiate start, Downing went 11-of-21 for 158 yards and a touchdown against Iowa State, a narrow loss.
At Louisiana Tech, Downing finished 33-of-62 for 356 yards, three touchdowns and four interceptions. He completed 20 of 35 passes against Missouri and went 12-of-24 for 159 yards and two scores against Rice.
—> MORE: Elon football faces grueling schedule in 2023
Downing will have plenty of experience around him as he adjusts to his new surroundings.
Elon has four offensive linemen back from a unit that gave up just 20 sacks last season. All four – Zane Gilbert, Jabril Williams, Caleb Krings and Kevin Burkett each started 12 games a year ago, a remarkable feat. Gilbert and Williams (a preseason second-team All-CAA pick) have 26 career starts apiece. Krings has started the past 23 contests, while Burkett has 21 starts to his credit.
Redshirt junior Chandler Brayboy and redshirt senior Jordan Bonner have more than 1,500 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns between them. Brayboy made the preseason All-CAA first-team, along with tight end Johncarlos Miller II.
Redshirt sophomore Jalen Hampton returns to lead the rushing attack after a 1,000-yard season in 2022. Hampton made the preseason All-CAA second team. He enjoyed four games a year ago with 130-plus rushing yards.
“If you are going to break in a new quarterback, you want to have that support around them,” Trisciani said.
The other preseason All-CAA pick comes on the defensive side of the ball, safety Bo Sanders (1st team). Sanders is the top returning tackler (69 hits a year ago). Defensive ends Marvin Pearson and Cazeem Moore, and defensive back Jaidyn Denis are among the other talented returnees to the Elon ‘D.’
The Wake Forest game will kick off at 7 p.m. Thursday on ACC Network. While Elon is the decided underdog on paper, the Phoenix will be a tough out. Trisciani’s team pushed Vanderbilt in last year’s opener and earned upset wins over ranked FCS opponents like William & Mary, Richmond and Delaware a year ago.
More Elon football notes:
- Wake Forest won the last meeting 49-7 in 2019, Trisciani’s first year as head coach. Wake Forest has an 11-0-1 record in the overall series, with Elon playing WF to a 0-0 tie in 1927.
- The Phoenix added four new coaches in the off-season: Alex Stadler (offensive line), Kyle Perkins (wide receivers), Matt Ford (tight ends) and Dominique Battle (cornerbacks).
- Elon is 6-0 when rushing for at least 200 yards in a game under Trisciani and 8-0 when holding opponents to fewer than 100 yards rushing.
- FCS Analyst counts Elon’s 2023 schedule as the third most difficult in the nation. The Phoenix will play five FCS teams ranked in the preseason top 25 by Stats Perform. Wake Forest received votes for the FBS poll.
- Seventeen Elon players have their degrees: Justin Allen, Jordan Bonner, Chandler Brayboy, Carson Crisp, Jack Cutler, Wayne Dixie III, Matthew Downing, Zane Gilbert, Chazz Harley, Caleb Ogunmola, Marvin Pearson, Kyle Romenick, Bo Sanders, Trey West, Antonio White, Ryan Wilkins and Jabril Williams
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