"JMU Football Head Coach Curt Cignetti Keeps Quarterback Secrets; Top Two Options Explored"

JMU football coach Curt Cignetti is secretive about his team's quarterbacks, but offensive lineman Tyshawn Wyatt praised Alonza Barnett III's performance.

In the realm of JMU football, head coach Curt Cignetti is known for his secrecy when it comes to revealing information about his team. However, his reluctance is particularly evident when discussing the team's quarterbacks. During Sun Belt Media Day in July, Cignetti briefly touched on the top two options for the starting role: redshirt senior Jordan McCloud and redshirt freshman Alonza Barnett III.

Cignetti highlighted McCloud's extensive experience, stating that he has accumulated 19 starts at the FBS level. McCloud began his career as a true freshman at USF, starting for two years before transferring to Arizona. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury, which led to the recruitment of another quarterback and his subsequent entry into the transfer portal.

On the other hand, Barnett is described as a talented young player who has participated in two springs and one fall season. Cignetti made it clear that both McCloud and Barnett would be given the opportunity to compete for the starting role, effectively eliminating Billy Atkins and Brett Griffis from contention. This aligns with reports from spring practices and solidifies their positions in the competition.

Cignetti also emphasized the value of McCloud's experience, particularly for the challenging away games in Weeks 2-4 against UVA, Troy, and Utah State. However, he made it clear that the ultimate decision would be based on performance during camp.

Since his appearance at Sun Belt Media Day, Cignetti has remained tight-lipped about the quarterback position. While he mentioned that the group is progressing well after a recent scrimmage, he provided no further details. In fact, Cignetti has refrained from mentioning specific names throughout camp, and reports suggest that he is unwilling to entertain questions about the quarterback position.

Amidst this secrecy, offensive lineman Tyshawn Wyatt emerged as a source of intrigue. Wyatt, who is projected to be the starting left tackle, spontaneously praised Barnett for his impressive performance when asked about offensive development. Wyatt commended Barnett, stating that he has been playing exceptionally well. He also acknowledged the tough competition among all the quarterbacks.

With Cignetti's enigmatic approach and Wyatt's unexpected endorsement, the quarterback battle at JMU continues to captivate attention and generate excitement.

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