Garrick Jones' name never came up in early August when Mississippi Valley State coach Karl Morgan listed about six potential starters at quarterback.
But Jones, a transfer from Coahoma Community College in Clarksdale, has been named the Delta Devils' starting signal caller for Saturday's opener at home against Alabama State. Jones beat out six others for the job, including Carl Davis, who started the first couple of games last year before going down with a season-ending leg injury.
"You never heard his name because he was an unknown commodity. He had never been on the practice field with us until two-a-days," said Morgan, in his second season in Itta Bena.
"(Offensive Coordinator Ramon Flanigan) had a better feel for Jones. "Carl is not as athletic. You can do more things with Jones because he runs well and gets away from stuff."
Morgan said there are no plans to use a two-quarterback system against defending Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division champion Alabama State Saturday.
"We're going to pick one, and roll with him. That's the mindset of Flanigan's offense," Morgan said.
With freshman running back Cedric Blue out of Coahoma Aggie still waiting to be cleared academically by the NCAA, Brandon Stansell will start at tailback and share carries with several others, including Ratheal Bateaste, a Southwest Mississippi Community College transfer.
"It's some missing information," Morgan said of the holdup with BLue. "He thought he had everything sent, but obviously it hasn't been."
Morgan said he was unsure as to what information is missing and that he doesn't know when a final decision will be made.
One thing Morgan is sure about is the Delta Devils will be playing home games at Rice-Totten Stadium in Itta Bena this season — instead of busing 45 miles to Greenville to play on a high school field.
That was the scenario last season due to unsafe structural problems with grandstands on the visitors' side. Renovations are ongoing, but school officials say that will not interfere with home games this season.
Tommy Verdell, manager of facilities, said this morning the school would provide more details on the progress of the project later today through a press release.
"We're pretty excited about having true home games this season and not getting on a bus and traveling for home games," Morgan said.
• Contact Bill Burrus at bburrus@gwcommonwealth.com.
