Well, I don’t think things are off to the exact start that Shane Beamer wanted down in Columbia. The South Carolina Gamecocks are set to kick off their season on Saturday against the Eastern Illinois Fightin’ Tony Romos, and in a crazy turn of events, they’ll be starting Zeb Noland, who is literally suiting up off the sidelines to come in and play.
Zeb Noland is going from coach to starting quarterback at South Carolina.
Noland, who came to South Carolina as a graduate assistant on Shane Beamer’s coaching staff, will be the Gamecocks‘ starter at quarterback when they open the season Saturday against Eastern Illinois.
First of all, tough break for Luke Doty, who is dealing with a left foot sprain that’s keeping him from starting this game. Beamer and company think he could be ready for their Week 2 showdown with East Carolina, but for now, they’re rolling with Noland in what appears to be just a one week band-aid. How crazy is that, though?
I mean, it has to be every football coach’s dream, right? In some miracle fashion, someone comes up to tell you that you have a year of eligibility remaining. Your team needs you, so you have to do what is best for them. And, what’s best for them is you putting on a uniform and going out there and firing that pigskin all over the place. Man, some football coach somewhere probably has a boner just READING that scenario I just laid out.
Now, obviously Noland is still a young dude. It’s not like Coach O slingin’ his shirt off and running onto the field to block somebody, no. But, it’s the closest that I can recall we’ve ever come to that happening, and so, I’m considering it a win for college football fans. Also, can someone please look into Coach O’s eligibility status with the NCAA? Because I would love to see it. I would probably pay to see that. Hey, there’s another business idea for ya, SEC – let’s have a coaches bowl every year. Anyway…
We can debate about it all we want, but right here, in this moment, my heart is just telling me that there is absolutely nothing more ‘football guy’ than taking off the coach’s visor to suit up to play quarterback for your team. Shout out to Zeb Noland, who is a bona fide football guy.
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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