Class of 2023 QB Taron Dickens (NC) Portal from Western Carolina/Visiting 1/8/26/Offered

[MSOrange]

So gotta believe Dickens is looking elsewhere at this point given 2 QBs already in the fold. I am good with Odom as our #2 for offense.

Agree. Would have loved to have Dickens but in his shoes, I'd probably look for a place where the path to being a starter was clearer.

 

[cuse702]

Dickens is 5'10 with very average (or below) physical tools, extremely accurate and smart QB but his best bet is G5 starter

 

[RF2044]

So gotta believe Dickens is looking elsewhere at this point given 2 QBs already in the fold. I am good with Odom as our #2 for offense.

Again, I think it's important to keep in mind that we targeted three quarterbacks who could all potentially be starters at larger programs. Please note, I'm not suggesting that they're all going to be successful, just that they have the potential. And anyone we land knows if Steve Angeli is healthy, they are second string.

The three guys we primarily targeted were Odom, Dickens, and Atkinson. We landed Odom. As soon as we did, it made any combination of the others unlikely, because again they are angling for PT. We even had a fourth guy that we brought on campus, Stokes, who ended up at Memphis. So you can say that there were four guys we chased from lower levels, even though I think Stokes was behind the other three in the packing order.

I honestly believe that it was a first to commit scenario, and that the staff would have been happy with any of the three. For example, atkinston was also a full year starter last year, and did pretty well. If we'd gotten him instead of Odom, for example, I think the staff would have been pleased. But Odom pulled the trigger first, and that pretty much put us out of contention for the other guys on the list. And not surprisingly, because again they have the opportunity to go somewhere and have a clear path to playing time.

The big question for me is whether Odom is an upgrade over Collins. He better be. And the fact that he has a year of starting experience where he produced and got a team to a bowl game suggests that he will be an improvement. Secondly, is Lott an upgrade over Carney, compared to last year. And third, is the Georgetown guy who was a starter at that level better than filardi.

Because if the answer is a yes to all three of those questions, then we have substantially elevated the talent level in the QB room compared to last year.

 

[djorange1989]

Again, I think it's important to keep in mind that we targeted three quarterbacks who could all potentially be starters at larger programs. Please note, I'm not suggesting that they're all going to be successful, just that they have the potential. And anyone we land knows if Steve Angeli is healthy, they are second string.

The three guys we primarily targeted were Odom, Dickens, and Atkinson. We landed Odom. As soon as we did, it made any combination of the others unlikely, because again they are angling for PT. We even had a fourth guy that we brought on campus, Stokes, who ended up at Memphis. So you can say that there were four guys we chased from lower levels, even though I think Stokes was behind the other three in the packing order.

I honestly believe that it was a first to commit scenario, and that the staff would have been happy with any of the three. For example, atkinston was also a full year starter last year, and did pretty well. If we'd gotten him instead of Odom, for example, I think the staff would have been pleased. But Odom pulled the trigger first, and that pretty much put us out of contention for the other guys on the list. And not surprisingly, because again they have the opportunity to go somewhere and have a clear path to playing time.

The big question for me is whether Odom is an upgrade over Collins. He better be. And the fact that he has a year of starting experience where he produced and got a team to a bowl game suggests that he will be an improvement. Secondly, is Lott an upgrade over Carney, compared to last year. And third, is the Georgetown guy who was a starter at that level better than filardi.

Because if the answer is a yes to all three of those questions, then we have substantially elevated the talent level in the QB room compared to last year.

While nothing is definite Odom is very likely better than Collins, by a good deal

 

[CA Monk]

"Tell Dickens and Atkinson it was just business."

 

[bigmike]

 

[CbusCuse]

Again, I think it's important to keep in mind that we targeted three quarterbacks who could all potentially be starters at larger programs. Please note, I'm not suggesting that they're all going to be successful, just that they have the potential. And anyone we land knows if Steve Angeli is healthy, they are second string.

The three guys we primarily targeted were Odom, Dickens, and Atkinson. We landed Odom. As soon as we did, it made any combination of the others unlikely, because again they are angling for PT. We even had a fourth guy that we brought on campus, Stokes, who ended up at Memphis. So you can say that there were four guys we chased from lower levels, even though I think Stokes was behind the other three in the packing order.

I honestly believe that it was a first to commit scenario, and that the staff would have been happy with any of the three. For example, atkinston was also a full year starter last year, and did pretty well. If we'd gotten him instead of Odom, for example, I think the staff would have been pleased. But Odom pulled the trigger first, and that pretty much put us out of contention for the other guys on the list. And not surprisingly, because again they have the opportunity to go somewhere and have a clear path to playing time.

The big question for me is whether Odom is an upgrade over Collins. He better be. And the fact that he has a year of starting experience where he produced and got a team to a bowl game suggests that he will be an improvement. Secondly, is Lott an upgrade over Carney, compared to last year. And third, is the Georgetown guy who was a starter at that level better than filardi.

Because if the answer is a yes to all three of those questions, then we have substantially elevated the talent level in the QB room compared to last year.

Agree with all of this, with one more big caveat is that there is another question being, is Angeli heathy and ready to go when 2026 roles around? Sure it seems more likely than not, but there is still some possibility he's not, so its a question.

I think the answer to Odom over Rickie is yes. He started a year and a half with a full year in 2024 at Kennesaw state playing against fairly good completion and put up fairly solid passing stats and also is a bit of a threat with his legs.

The answer to Lott over Carney is an unknown but got to think the availability/weirdness situation factor will be better. He has good physical tools so that is a start and I'm hopeful there.

The answer to Lauter over Filardi is easy as we saw what Filardi did as a true freshman and Lauter is older and has staring experience, all be it at Georgetown. But being OK at that level in 2024 and showing a bit more promise in 2025 during 3 games has to be better than a semi-walk on small freshman.

 

[HyattsCuse]

The answer to Lott over Carney is an unknown but got to think the availability/weirdness of situation factor will be better. He has good physical tools so that is a start and i'm hopeful there.

I actually LOL’d at this when I read it. I wonder if this “factor” has ever been discussed in the history of sports message boards?

Still thinking about how the Carney thing went down is so bizarre. I hope it doesn’t get any weirder than that!