MAILBAG: Reagan's Departure, Play-Calling, Mid-Major Candidate + More

From @Michiganeer:

Q: What can you tell us about any upcoming new recruits for 2024 (if any) with signing day coming up along with any players to watch from the portal that we have a good shot at getting?

A: It doesn't look like there will be any high schoolers added in February, but one transfer name I've been told to keep an eye on is Golden West DB Marquis Brown-Leonard (6'4"!). He's an All-American at the JUCO level and they are in talks to get him on campus for a visit. He was committed to Utah State, but re-opened his recruitment with the staff change. NC State and a few others are believed to be in the mix. Too early to know true targets for the next portal window.

From @RonaldNatale:

Q: Should the staff have gone deeper for a QB coach?

A: I know how it looks, but I don't believe this was an accelerated search by any means. Gerad Parker took the job at Troy in mid-December, so I'm sure Reagan has had the offer on the table for a while. How long is anyone's guess. Knowing how forward-thinking Neal Brown is, I'm sure the moment Parker got the job, he began putting together contingency plans for all assistants that had ties to Gerad. They believe Tyler Allen is ready to take over a QB room and now is a pretty good time, in my opinion. You have a veteran quarterback and a now experienced backup in Nicco Marchiol - a pretty cozy situation to walk into.

From @Jev_Elation:

Q: How much has the QB coach that’s leaving actually done here? Feel like it’s been one of the worst progressing spots on our team for years. We’ve relied on transfers who go from “elite potential” to barley able to get drafted.

A: I'm torn on it honestly. The quarterbacks he had to work with from 2019-21 were far from ideal. But at the same time, you're right. Neither Austin Kendall or Jarret Doege made significant strides with Reagan leading the room. A lot of what Garrett Greene did in 2023, in my opinion, was him just being an athlete and making plays. He missed a lot of the easy dink and dunk passes which never got corrected, leading to his 53% completion percentage. I don't believe his departure will hurt the room, but I think it would be unfair to say he didn't have any part in helping Greene develop into the player he became this past fall.

From @WVUFaithful22:

Q: Do you think Pat Kelsey would be a solid basketball hire being from Cincinnati?

A: I do. He helped get Winthrop back to being a contender in the Big South and won three conference tournament championships. After a average first year at Charleston, he's gone 46-10 with a conference title. I'd be shocked if he wasn't on Wren Baker's radar, but I also feel he will want to do his due diligence on some bigger names before heavily pursuing a mid-major candidate.

From @Steelers_9_8:

Q: Who’s calling the plays on offense? Does Scott take over? All Brown? Both?

A: Neal Brown called them in 2023 and I'd expect that to remain the same in '24. Last year was the first season Neal called the shots with a mobile quarterback and it brought a ton of success. Don't fix something that's not broken.

Colton McKivitz is Headed to the Super Bowl

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