The quarterback position is often viewed as the most important position on a football team. The quarterback is the general of the offense and is highly important to the team's overall success. Having a good or bad quarterback can make or break a season.
Ohio has had some good quarterbacks play in their previous seasons, so let's take a look at what the position looks like for 2024.
Who’s gone
One of the biggest shocks of the offseason for Ohio was the news of longtime Bobcat Kurtis Rourke entering the transfer portal. Rourke had a very successful career in Ohio, putting up big numbers under center for the Bobcats. Last season, he had a solid year, going for 2,207 yards, 11 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. 2022 was his best year at Ohio; however, as he was named the Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year and overall, Player of the Year after he put up 3,257 yards, 25 touchdowns and 4 interceptions before getting injured at the end of the season.
He was not able to play in the 2022 MAC title game or the Arizona Bowl, a game that Ohio won on the back of another departing quarterback, CJ Harris. Harris was a very reliable backup for Ohio, leading the team to an Arizona Bowl victory against Wyoming after going for 184 yards and 2 touchdowns. He didn’t see much action in 2023 and transferred to Cal in the offseason.
Who’s back
Ohio is returning a trio of quarterbacks in 2024, starting with the most notable, Parker Navarro. The grad student and former UCF quarterback will be starting games under center for Ohio in 2024. He returns after a big performance in Ohio’s victory in the Myrtle Beach Bowl against Georgia Southern. Navarro had 120 yards and 1 touchdown through the air while adding 71 yards on the ground as well.
Returning with him is redshirt freshman Jacob Winters and redshirt sophomore Callum Wither. Neither quarterback has any stats so far in their respective careers at Ohio, with Wither not seeing any game action and Winters entering one game in 2023. Both players will be fighting for the backup spot this season.
Who’s new
Matthew Papas is the only freshman in the Ohio quarterback room this season, coming from Grove City High School. In his senior year, he threw for 3,319 passing yards and 41 total touchdowns.
Additionally, Ohio added one quarterback via the transfer portal this season in Nick Poulos from El Camino College. Poulos will enter as a redshirt Junior and will compete for the primary backup spot with Wither and Winters.
Position outlook
The impact of losing both Rourke and Harris in the quarterback room cannot be overstated, as Ohio lost two veteran starting caliber players in the same offseason. However, Navarro impressed in his first game as a starter, coming in a bowl game no less, and his dual-threat ability will add a new dimension to this Ohio offense as Ohio coach Tim Albin has said.
