STARKVILLE — The only sure thing about University of Memphis quarterback Andy Summerlin”s season-opening performance against No. 20 Mississippi State on Thursday night likely will be that he will be the oldest player on the field.
Summerlin earned that distinction last week when Memphis coach Larry Porter handed his offense to the 23-year old junior college transfer.
“I think Andy has emerged as a leader throughout the spring, summer, and into fall camp,” Porter said. “His leadership has always been visible and very strong amongst his teammates on both sides of the ball. Him being somewhat of an older guy and very mature, they”ve always taken a liking to Andy and followed him.”
Prior to receiving the endorsement, Summerlin had been locked in training camp competition with freshman Taylor Reed and senior Skylar Jones, a transfer from Wake Forest.
When asked if he was familiar with Summerlin, MSU coach Dan Mullen sat back, paused for what seemed like a significant amount of time, and struggled to remember if their paths crossed in a recruiting situation.
“Not a whole lot,” Mullen said when asked what he knew about him. “It sounds familiar (and) that would”ve been five years ago, but he wasn”t a guy we heavily recruited (at Florida).”
Mullen wasn”t the only one who didn”t know much about Summerlin. Many of the Bulldogs also said they didn”t know much about Memphis” starting quarterback.
The 6-foot-5, 220-pound Summerlin seemed destined to showcase his ability last year when Memphis opened its season at Davis Wade Stadium, but he suffered a torn right labrum in the team”s first spring scrimmage and underwent surgery to repair the injury and was sidelined for the 2010 season.
“It”s been a different road and a long road, but I”m very thankful and blessed to have this opportunity after what I”ve been through,” Summerlin said.
Summerlin”s injury started an ugly snowball effect at quarterback, as a more mobile Cannon Smith battled with Ryan Williams, a big-armed prospect. Smith won the job but struggled and suffered a concussion after the first two weeks of the season.
Williams was the first freshman to start at Memphis in 24 years. He went through the growing pains any inexperienced player would face, and went 10 of 17 for 85 yards and two interceptions against MSU in a 49-7 loss. Williams transferred to the University of Miami before the spring and Smith, whose father is the chief operating officer at FedEx, moved to safety, leaving Porter with three quarterbacks who have never started a Division I game.
In Memphis” spring game in May, Summerlin led the team with 269 passing yards and three touchdowns, which helped him beat Reed for the starting job.
“I think the spring helped me understand the offense and know it a little bit more,” Summerlin said.
Porter, who is coming off a 1-11 first season as coach, said he relied on “decision-making, the way they managed the offense, and productivity” in making his decision about the starting quarterback.
“(Summerlin) knows a little bit more about our personnel and our system from the spring,” Porter said. “It”s all about consistency because if Andy does that we win and everybody is happy.”
Summerlin was one of the first recruits Porter signed out of Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College in January 2010. Summerlin passed for a school-record 2,302 yards and led Coffeyville to a No. 12 ranking in the final National Junior College Association of America poll.
Porter said it was still “possible” for Reed to play against MSU at 7 p.m. Thursday (Fox Sports Net) because the 6-3 prospect from Eldorado, Ark., used his mobility efficiently in fall camp.
“It”s just hard to get three quarterbacks ready to play in a game,” Porter said. “You would like Andy to go in and show he”s consistent, but we”re not afraid to play (Reed). I think he”s positioned himself to be there.”
Memphis will try to institute a spread offense that”s different than the pro-style sets it showed last season. The move could give an advantage to MSU, which has practiced against that offense in the preseason.
“Even though it”ll be a different variety, there”ll be carryover, there will
be some similarities,” Mullen said. “It”s something our guys have gone against on a daily basis, a similar philosophy on offense. That”ll make it easier to adjust.”
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