NSU to unleash 3-headed monster at QB

Nicholls State junior quarterback LaQuintin Caston threw out the first pitch at the Colonels baseball game against Alcorn State last Wednesday, skipping the ball to home plate.

Just 30 minutes before his baseball debut, Caston was one of three Colonel quarterbacks throwing nothing but strikes in John L. Guidry Stadium.

Improvement at the quarterback position is one major storyline playing out in Thibodaux, as Nicholls heads toward the completion of spring practice under second-year coach Charlie Stubbs.

“I would say so,” Stubbs said. “They’ve all improved. The biggest thing is I want them to play faster, and what I mean by that is being able to understand things a little bit better. … But they’ve all made strides and the bottom line is I’m equaling the reps.”

The Colonels were just a modest passing team last season, tossing for 1,532 yards as a team with nine total passing touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

That’s partially because the team was deeply rooted in changing from a triple option to a more wide-open passing-oriented attack.

That transition had the team moving at a virtual snail’s pace last spring, which forced them to play under a more watered down playbook than Stubbs would have liked.

“We were even doing cards and diagrams last spring so the receivers could know where to go and everything,” Stubbs said. “So that was tough and it slowed the pace quite a bit.”

This year, the team is moving through practices at a cheetah’s pace, compared to last year, which players believe shows a full grasp of the offense.

“The biggest difference between this year and last is the speed of practices,” Caston said. “We were learning a lot last year and we were able to get pretty much only the basics of our offense. But this year, we’re picking up where we left off last year winning our last two games of the season, and we’re just executing with more confidence, because we’re sure of what we’re doing now. We’re faster and everyone knows their assignments.”

But the transition wasn’t all because of new X’s and O’s. It was also further complicated by personnel up front. The Colonels offensive line was comprised exclusively of linemen recruited to be in an option offense. That lack of versatility led to Caston being sacked more often than any other Southland Conference quarterback.

But this year with a year of experience in the offense and more fresh bodies up front, the blocking is improved, which his allowing the quarterbacks to have more time to survey the defense and make plays.

The best is still yet to come, as well, as the Colonels have five offensive linemen joining the program in the 2011 recruiting class, which will reach campus this summer.

“The line is just so much better,” redshirt freshman quarterback Beaux Hebert said. “And then, of course, everyone knows we have that great bunch coming in. Coach Uperesa does just a great job with his linemen. And I can tell you, it’s exciting because we’re getting nothing but great protection so far up front.”

Caston is the Colonels’ most prolific returnee, completing 98-of-188 passes for 1,141 yards and eight touchdowns last season.

But he’s just one cog in what teammates say is a three-headed monster, being joined by sophomore Landry Klann, who started two games last year and Hebert, who is the son of former Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert.

All three figure to get every opportunity to earn their right to play this fall and all three have proven to be worthy of their chance to shine.

“That’s going to be quite a battle at quarterback,” junior linebacker Jordan Piper said. “All three of those guys have earned the respect of our team.”

Caston agreed and said he hopes to see increased production from the position, even if it means he plays less than he did a year ago when he was the team’s primary quarterback.

He said he’s more than willing to take a backseat in a game if one of the team’s other quarterbacks catches fire in a game.

“Beaux and Landry, they are just great guys to work with,” Caston said. “Both of those guys bring something different to the table. Beaux’s a guy who can pass and he can run. And Landry’s more of your pocket passer, who’s the most polished passer of us all, so they are all very solid and they are giving Coach Stubbs some options.”

After all, the team’s goal this season is “One Team, One Goal,” and as one of the leaders of the squad, Caston said he wouldn’t be doing his job if he wasn’t willing to put his pride aside for the sake of winning.

“One team, one goal, that’s what we’re thriving on this spring,” he said. “Last year, it was ‘What’s our name?’, because we wanted to leave our mark on every team we played. But this year, we’re one team all with the one goal of trying to win the Southland Conference Championship.”

Nicholls quarterbacks (from left) Beaux Hebert, Landry Klann and LaQuintin Caston toss passes during spring practice. Colonels coach Charlie Stubbs said he is giving all three equal reps this spring and teammates believe it will be a tight battle this fall to determine a starter. CASEY GISCLAIR