Halliday could be a hero

Entering his third season as a starting quarterback for the Cougars, redshirt senior quarterback Connor Halliday is ready for what could be the best season of his collegiate career.

            In fact, he will be one of the top-five quarterbacks in all of college football this season. Head Coach Mike Leach had high praise for his QB entering the 2014 season.

            “Clearly, he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the nation,” Leach said in an interview with The Associated Press. “You might be rooting for your guy, but he’s better than your guy is.”

            Halliday will have plenty of receivers at his disposal, as the top eight receivers from 2013 are all back with the Cougars this season. Amid the rumors of wide receiver Gabe Marks’ health, the Cougars still return top receivers Vince Mayle, River Cracraft and Dom Williams among others.

            The Cougars also should have a lot of added talent in the running back position this season. Junior Teondray Caldwell and senior Marcus Mason, the Cougs’ top backs in 2013, are both still with the team but neither of them will be in the main running back rotation at the beginning of the season.

            Caldwell switched positions during the offseason and is now the Cougars’ backup strong safety and Mason is listed below the third-string back, senior Theron West, on the depth chart.

            The point is that redshirt freshmen Jamal Morrow and Gerard Wicks, who will be the top two running backs for the Cougs this season, outperformed the more veteran backs in spring camp and should give Halliday and the entire Cougar offense an added boost this season.

            Halliday also enters his third year in Head Coach Mike Leach’s Air Raid offense in 2014, an aerial assault that resulted in Halliday throwing for 4,597 yards and 34 touchdowns last season while breaking both national and school single-game passing records. Halliday is now a veteran in the offense which should go a long way towards lowering his interception total after he threw 22 of them in 2013.

            “Any quarterback wants to be in this offense,” Halliday said in an interview with The Star-Ledger newspaper. “I’m really appreciative of this opportunity I have and I try to make the most of it every day.”

            Halliday has also gained about 20 pounds of muscle this offseason, according to the website All Coug’d Up, which will help him with both his arm strength and durability. The added weight will help Halliday remain stable behind an uncertain and inexperienced offensive line, especially early on in the season.

            Halliday will have plenty of opportunities to showcase his talents against great competition at home this season with matchups against preseason AP No. 3 ranked Oregon, No. 15 USC and No. 25 Washington.