DeVante Kincade looks to pass during Saturday’s scrimmage. Photo: Thomas Graning, The Daily Mississippian.
The number of days for Ole Miss’ spring practices is dwindling and so is the time for redshirt freshman quarterbacks DeVante Kincade and Ryan Buchanan to separate themselves from one another in the race to be the Rebels’ backup signal caller.
Kincade and Buchanan have separated themselves from junior college transfer Jeremy Liggins and early enrollee freshman Kendrick Doss, but neither one can seem to get a stranglehold on the backup spot.
“It goes back and forth every day,” Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze said of the two quarterbacks. “It’s going back and forth. It’s going to take a while.
“That’ll go all the way until probably game week. The good thing is they’ve both used their redshirts. I think if the opportunity presents itself, we could see both in situations that they’re more geared to and let it play out that way. We’ll see as it it gets closer to time.”
As for this spring, it’s given Freeze and offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Dan Werner time to see them get reps with the first and second teams, especially with limited reps from senior quarterback Bo Wallace as he regains strength in his throwing shoulder.
Looking at both guys’ skill sets, it’s obvious that both will be utilized in different ways in the offense.
Kincade, a 6-foot, 200-pound Dallas native, is a true dual-threat quarterback and could be used in the Barry Brunetti role this fall. He’s a guy that feels natural running the read-option with his experience in a similar offense throughout grade school.
“It’ just comfortable,” Kincade said. “I’ve been doing it since middle school.”
Buchanan, a 6-foot-3, 201 pound Jackson native, is very reminiscent of Wallace. He is a pocket passer first, who also has the ability to pick up some yardage with his legs.
Both quarterbacks were redshirted in 2013, and both think that helped them get ready to take on a bigger role for this upcoming season.
“It was a good opportunity to learn the playbook,” Buchanan said. “Sometimes, you do want to get an opportunity and you do want to get your feet wet, but we didn’t really get that opportunity. But it was honestly just a really good time for learning and to learn from Bo by watching him.”
The redshirt year also made things a little easier for them this spring when they started taking more and more snaps with the first and second teams.
“I feel like I’m coming along,” Kincade said. “The game has slowed down since I know more things. I know a lot more plays than I did back in the fall.”
Now, it’s all about competition. Although Freeze said it will likely go down to the final week before the season starts, both quarterbacks want to get an edge on the other before spring practice concludes.
“It’s on my mind,” Buchanan said of the race. “I feel like I have to play great every day and do my best to impress to coaches. But they’re going to decide that, so we’ll see.”
Now that they’re taking valuable reps each day, they feel like they can really start to get better as quarterbacks.
“I think a lot of playing quarterback is experience, just getting out here and going live,” Buchanan said. “There’s a big difference in sitting behind the play when you know what to read and know where to throw the ball and actually placing the ball where it needs to be and picking up a blitz.”
Although the competition will continue into fall camp, both Kincade and Buchanan don’t let the race to be Ole Miss’ backup quarterback effect anything off the field.
“It’s a great relationship,” Kincade said. “Ever since we came on our official visit, we’ve had a great relationship. It’s been a lot of fun competing with him. We both go back and forth, back and forth. We help each other out, pat each other on the back and tell each other our mistakes.”
For continuing coverage of Ole Miss football, follow @DavidLCollier and @thedm_sports on Twitter.
— David Collier
dlcollie@go.olemiss.edu
