SCOOBA — Even though he has played football for virtually his entire life, East Mississippi Community College freshman quarterback Timorrius Conner is still learning.
This season, Conner is learning at an even quicker pace.
“Going to practice every day with De’Andre Johnson and Vijay Miller has been the best thing to happen to me,” said Conner, who led the Noxubee County High School football team to back-to-back Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 4A State championships in his final two seasons. “Both are super athletes. We have all become great friends. The competition in practice is very intense. I learn something every day being around those guys.”
Fresh out of First Coast Academy in Jacksonville Florida, Johnson signed with Florida State and enrolled early in the spring of 2015. An off-the field incident that summer led him to be dismissed from the FSU program.
In the fall of 2015, Johnson signed with EMCC. In his first school year there, he went through a series of “off-the-field” duties to earn status as a member of the team. To most observers, Johnson figures to be the starter when No. 1 EMCC travels to Jones County Junior College for its Sept. 1 season opener.
At Monday’s Media Day, EMCC offensive coordinator Marcus Wood said the quarterback battle is “open” and “fun to watch.”
“Each quarterback has a different style,” Wood said. “You will see a lot of all three on the field this year. We have to find ways to get each of them on the field because of their speed and abilities. De’Andre has been a perfect fit for this program. You can tell he is enjoying working with the two new guys.”
Last season, Johnson sat in the coaches’ booth on game nights and wore a headset to listen to the offensive play calls. He said the time away from the field made him want to succeed more.
“I knew I had another opportunity and that my time would come,” Johnson said. “You really can’t get down when other guys are depending on you. The quarterback is the natural-born leader and I have always enjoyed leading, so as soon as last season ended, I tried to take over and tried to become that one consistent voice in the locker room.”
Conner threw for 6,904 yards and 64 touchdowns in three seasons as a starter at Noxubee County High. Johnson threw for 11,585 yards and 122 touchdowns in four seasons as a starter at First Coast. Miller threw for 6,045 yards and 53 touchdowns in three seasons as a starter at Itawamba Agricultural High.
“De’Andre has been where we all want to go (to the senior college level),” Conner said. “You can’t help but learn from him. I like how he commands the attention of everybody on the team. He is a motivator and a leader. That is biggest thing I had to learn in high school was leadership. I used to lead by example. Later, I learned I needed to be more vocal.”
EMCC has been known for its ability to send quarterbacks off to star-studded senior college careers. Ole Miss starter Chad Kelly is the latest example. EMCC coach Buddy Stephens and Wood also have been known for playing two quarterbacks a large number of snaps throughout the season.
A year ago, present Mississippi State walk-on Wyatt Roberts was the starter and he was backed up by John Franklin III, who is projected to be the starter at Auburn. The duo combined to throw for 3,021 yards and 30 touchdowns in nine games.
“The offense is amazing,” Miller said. “The best thing is the number of athletes that are here. Everybody can play. Even the big linemen are fast. It’s really fun to be out there competing every day. You learn a lot about yourself rather quickly.”
Johnson said his present team has “Division I talent.” He said the talent level was the biggest surprise to him in his first exposure to the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges (MACJC).
“Everybody has players,” Johnson said. “That’s the biggest thing. You can’t take a play off. Some of these teams have players you will see on the Division I level up and down the lineup. The level of play is really great. I know going against our defense every day in practice has made me a much better player.”
Conner said he has been surprised by the simplicity of offense. He has also been surprised by the speed of the game.
“There is not that much to it,” Conner said. “If everyone does their part, you have six or seven options when the ball is snapped. You have a bunch of guys you can throw it, too. You also have the run option. All three of us have great speed at the quarterback position, so we can make things happen.”
Stephens has been known for a wide-open offensive approach. The Lions have scored 40 or more points in 31 of their last 33 games. Large margins of victory are encouraged by the present NJCAA ranking system.
“We try to put a well-oiled machine on the field,” Stephens said. “We are proud of De’Andre and what he brings to the table. He is a leader in every sense of the word. You can also tell that Vijay Miller and Timorrius Conner are winners. Being around each of them for a few minutes and it is clear.”
Johnson is listed as a redshirt freshman. However, he most likely will go to a senior college at the end of the season, which means Conner and Miller are auditioning for a big piece of the offense this season and an even bigger piece next year.
Opportunities for Conner and Miller should come in the opener. Thanks to multiple players being on suspension for a season-ending brawl last season, the quarterbacks will be three of approximately 30 players available to play against JCJC.
“The coaches have told me I will be on the field, and that is exciting,” Conner said. “I have worked hard and they really like my speed. They said they were several things I could do to help the offense out. This is a new level and a new challenge. However, I am looking forward to getting out there and seeing what I can do.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Scott Walters on Twitter @dispatchscott
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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