Deion Sanders is looking for a backup quarterback for Shedeur Sanders, and he has several options – including a former Ohio State signal-caller.
Jackson State University football team continued preparations for the 2022 season opener with a Saturday morning scrimmage at the Walter Payton Center.
The backup quarterback position continues to be a hotly contested battle, with several players vying for the role behind starting quarterback and SWAC Preseason Player Of The Year Shedeur Sanders.
“It’s a heck of a fight to see who’s the two,” Sanders said. “It’s going to continue for another couple of weeks. We have to find a quality backup quarterback. We have them on campus. We have them here. We just have to see who’s going to take that leap and that step and separate themselves from amongst the others.”
Among the contenders is former Ohio State quarterback J.P. Andrade.
Andrade joined the Ohio State football program in the fall of 2019 as a preferred walk-on, turning down scholarship offers from South Alabama, Fordham and Morehead State in the process and preferred walk-on status at a Southeastern Conference school.
He joined Jackson State this spring and is in competition with Greyson Thompson, Matthew Ricciardi-Vitale and Norman Douglas, JR.
Deion Sanders happy with special teams progress
Big plays on offense and special teams highlighted Saturday’s scrimmage as the defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champions reached the official end of camp ahead of fall semester classes beginning Monday.
“I love where we are in the kicking game,” Jackson State head coach Deion Sanders said. “The kickers, the punters, the long snappers – they’re doing a phenomenal job. That’s often times where we fall short at HBCUs…I think we’ve upgraded the personnel in every aspect of it, even on the coverage teams. They are doing a phenomenal job. Hats off to (Special Teams) Coach (Alan) Ricard for assembling a unit that is relentless and tough and disciplined and fast.”
Jackson State will open the season Labor Day Sunday, playing Florida A&M in the Orange Blossom Classic at 2 p.m. CT on ESPN2.