{"id":118268,"date":"2024-08-23T17:10:17","date_gmt":"2024-08-24T00:10:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/herosports.com\/?p=118268"},"modified":"2024-08-23T17:10:18","modified_gmt":"2024-08-24T00:10:18","slug":"fbs-column-power-four-transfer-qbs-g5-teams-bcbc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/herosports.com\/fbs-column-power-four-transfer-qbs-g5-teams-bcbc\/","title":{"rendered":"Column: Power Four Transfer Quarterbacks Not A Lock To Start For Group of Five Teams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You\u2019d struggle to find a national preseason preview that didn\u2019t mention Malachi Nelson when discussing Boise State<\/a>\u2019s 2024 expectations. ESPN even wrote an entire feature on Nelson earlier this month, likely under the assumption he\u2019d earn the starting quarterback gig for a preseason Group of Five<\/a> darling.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surprise!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maddux Madsen was named Boise State\u2019s starting quarterback earlier this week, news that ESPN first reported. Madsen, a returning Boise State player, will start Week 1 at Georgia Southern. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

He\u2019ll battle against Georgia Southern\u2019s JC French, who won the Eagles\u2019 starting quarterback job over Indiana transfer Dexter Williams. While French began his career at Memphis, he played for the Eagles last fall and beat out an incoming power conference transfer to win the 2024 starting job. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

San Diego State true freshman Danny O\u2019Neil notably earned the team\u2019s starting quarterback job over Florida State transfer AJ Duffy, the presumed favorite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While several power conference transfer quarterbacks have earned starting jobs at the Group of Five level this fall, Madsen, French, and O\u2019Neil signal that fans and media members should be cautious when wanting to preordain Power Four transfers as immediate G5 starters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Group of Five Has Talent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

That trio of quarterbacks are good reminders that plenty of Group of Five programs shouldn\u2019t be viewed as a step down from the power conferences. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Madsen played meaningful snaps for a Boise State program that won the Mountain West title last season. Nelson, a former five-star recruit, was an exciting pick to win the job on paper. Madsen, however, has more experience helping teams win at the college level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s easy for fans and media members to fall in love with recruiting rankings and big-name transfers, but there\u2019s plenty of elite football being played at Group of Five schools. The divide between an Ohio State and a Georgia Southern is wide, but the on-field gap between schools like Georgia Southern and Indiana isn\u2019t. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite smaller budgets, the top-end teams in the Group of Five have rosters loaded with players who could contribute at above average Power Four schools. Boise State\u2019s overall roster talent aligns with an above average Power Four program, and the Broncos have a rich history of competing with the best of the best. <\/p>\n\n\n

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