Class of 2023 QB Taron Dickens (NC) Portal from Western Carolina to UNC

[Cusefan69]

So Dickens was from the Carolinas region and then attended Western Carolina and now North Carolina. Not so sure it was a Syracuse decision as much as it was a decision to perhaps be near family.

 

[PeteCalvin]

So Dickens was from the Carolinas region and then attended Western Carolina and now North Carolina. Not so sure it was a Syracuse decision as much as it was a decision to perhaps be near family.

And I’m sure UNC overpaid to get him.

 

[djorange1989]

Wish we added him instead of the Georgetown kid

He wasn’t going to be 3rd or 4th string, Odom got his spot

 

[bnoro]

And I’m sure UNC overpaid to get him.

Why is this the assumption? It took him until mid-feb to find a landing spot

 

[007]

Wish we added him instead of the Georgetown kid

My understanding is Lauter may have been the first QB to commit. Not because he was QB1 on the portal list. He was willing to come in for the chance to compete, bet on himself and believes in Fran.

Dickens vs Odoms was the scenario.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Why is this the assumption? It took him until mid-feb to find a landing spot

Because he was listed as one of the top QB prospects in the portal. It's not like he was unknown with those gaudy stats he put up last year. Probably took a while to negotiate the best deal.

 

[007]

Because he was listed as one of the top QB prospects in the portal. It's not like he was unknown with those gaudy stats he put up last year. Probably took a while to negotiate the best deal.

Or...Dickens agent was looking for so much $$$ that programs like SU all passed.

 

[tep624]

My understanding is Lauter may have been the first QB to commit. Not because he was QB1 on the portal list. He was willing to come in for the chance to compete, bet on himself and believes in Fran.

Dickens vs Odoms was the scenario.

I’m good with this if that’s the case.

Dickens wasn’t coming here to be a #3 and Odom is proven as a starter at the FBS level.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Or...Dickens agent was looking for so much $$$ that programs like SU all passed.

This may be the case. And I would imagine that Bellichick can probably tap deeper pockets than we can.

 

[OrangeTarheel]

Is he going to be QB1 at UNC?

 

[bnoro]

Because he was listed as one of the top QB prospects in the portal. It's not like he was unknown with those gaudy stats he put up last year. Probably took a while to negotiate the best deal.

Or he was just looking for the best fit, which is why he didn't come to SU after we landed Odom.

It's not ALL about money for a lot of these kids. They're smarter than a lot of folks on these boards give them credit for.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Or he was just looking for the best fit, which is why he didn't come to SU after we landed Odom.

It's not ALL about money for a lot of these kids. They're smarter than a lot of folks on these boards give them credit for.

I think most players would like to sign before the semester started.
We're a month past the beginning of the semester.
Chances are he is going to miss spring practice - unless UNC gives him a bunch of fake online classes.
But most schools won't let you play on a team if you join the school a month into the semester.
So, why would a kid risk that, missing spring ball? For money.
Give me a better reason. You seem to want to argue this point.

 

[HyattsCuse]

I think most players would like to sign before the semester started.
We're a month past the beginning of the semester.
Chances are he is going to miss spring practice - unless UNC gives him a bunch of fake online classes.
But most schools won't let you play on a team if you join the school a month into the semester.
So, why would a kid risk that, missing spring ball? For money.
Give me a better reason. You seem to want to argue this point.

Possibilities I see are

1) as bnoro said, best fit. Even if he has to miss spring practice, UNCs QB1 appears wide open. Kids want the best shot at playing and might be the best shot he has at a starting job.

2) I suspect that in this portal era, it’s a game of QB musical chairs. Dickens might just have been left without a chair as schools favored other available QBs. UNC came along and made a spot available. He was a 3 star rated transfer QB so I don’t think he was in a position to hold out for a big money deal. Either that or he overvalued himself. Doubt UNC broke the bank landing him.