So help me understand where we are, and what any QB is looking at. Is this accurate for QB battles for coming years:
2015 - TH (So), WG (RFr), Jacob Guy (RJr walkon?), Brian Fallace (WHO??!?!?, RFr walk-on), Harry Gornto (Fr walk on...I remember the hype on him setting records at Choctaw)
2016 - Trask (2star, Fr), Luke Del Rio (Transfer RSo/Jr?), Josh Grady (Transfer RSr)
2017 - Jake Allen (Fr)
Did I miss somebody?
I don't expect the 2015 walk ons to contribute, more likely to wash out at some point without ever impacting the roster. IF Ricky Town transfers NOW and gets in with the team this year (sit out, but at least get familiar with system and practice with the team), he would be one of 6 non-walkons competing for the job next year, all of which will have a year of practice time under their belt with this program except for Trask. While this year we know what we are and what we have (TH and WG), next year is wide open. Maybe the loser of TH and WG transfers out, maybe Del Rio or Grady wash out. But today, in comparing UF and ARK, we have a lot of bodies who will have experience and be fighting to be in the top 1-2 (maybe 3) string QB spots.
Compare to ARK that has a Sr and two underclassmen backing him up. Sr is gone next year, so Town could get in now and have a year in that program and be competing with only two non-freshman for the position going forward. Seems to me ARK offers less competition (if that's what drove him out of USCw).
This year, we survive, and at best we settle on TH or WG as the leader for the next 2 yrs allowing the other QBs to develop. If one of them develops quickly and unseats the leader, fine. But it appears to me that would be JMac's ideal plan - have TH/WG establish themselves so focus can be on other players. That leaves Grady as a back up plan for next year taking that 3rd string spot, and only the start position and maybe a second string position open for competition.
I think we're getting healthier in terms of options for QB once we get past this year, with some stability and developmental (redshirt) opportunities for the younger guys. It feels to me as though the QB developmental program is now stocked and ready to start building a regular progression of development. Contrast that to our RB situation where we have KT starting this year then gone, JC and JS will be the top two next year along with the CC transfer Mark Thompson (4star kid, not sure how many years he will have available being a CC transfer) and Lamical Perine (3star Fr). We need to continue filling that pipeline and building competition there for future years.