Goochland's Reid Chenault 'battling for the job' as Spiders' QB, says coach Russ Huesman
Richmond quarterback Reid Chenault, from Goochland High, started the Spiders' final game last season, a 10-6 win at William & Mary, and played in three other games. DANIEL SANGJIB MIN/TIMES-DISPATCH▲
BY JOHN O'CONNOR Richmond Times-Dispatch
1 hr ago
If the University of Richmond played a football game tomorrow, Goochland High School graduate Reid Chenault might be the starting quarterback. Chenault, a redshirt junior, came to UR as a walk-on and started the Spiders’ 2018 season finale, a 10-6 win at William & Mary. He played in three other games last year.
Chenault, a 6-foot-2 180-pounder, is competing through spring ball with 6-4, 215-pound Joe Mancuso, also a redshirt junior. Mancuso made four starts last season for the Spiders, who finished 4-7 (2-6 CAA). Additionally, UR is bringing in 6-3 freshman quarterback Jackson Walker.
“He's battling for the job right now,” UR coach Russ Huesman said Tuesday, speaking of Chenault. "Right now it's him and Joe Mancuso and they're both getting even snaps, 50-50, right down the middle. It's a continual process. One day it's great and one day it's maybe not quite as good."
Spring ball for the Spiders began in early March, and they will hold their spring game on April 6, the 15th spring session and last allowable by NCAA rules. The UR staff is charting each throw Chenault and Mancuso make this spring.
“Reid is everything you want in a football player," said Huesman. "The players really, really like him, and respond to him. He's got leadership qualities about him. He's just got to keep battling and keep getting better."
Chenault is working on improving his arm strength. Mancuso has an advantage in that area.
There could be a transfer who enters the QB mix by the time the Spiders begin preseason camp. They have scholarships available, and Huesman said that “college football has almost turned into free agency ... We will continue to add to our roster.”
Richmond quarterbacks last season threw 18 interceptions, the second-most in the FCS. Mancuso had 10 in nine games. Chenault had none in four games (64 attempts).
Evaluating the quarterback situation is the highest spring priority, and identifying reliable receivers ranks as second. UR lost the top talent on the team, receiver Dejon Brissett, who is transferring as a graduate to Illinois after playing in three games (ankle injury) in 2018. The Spiders’ leading receiver, Cortrelle Simpson, elected not to use his final season of eligibility.
Into the void steps Charlie Fessler, a 6-4, 210-pound graduate transfer from Northwestern. Fessler, who’s from Erie, Pa., made 10 receptions last season for the Wildcats. He has clearly been Richmond’s leader among receivers so far in spring ball.
Tailback Xavier Goodall, a redshirt junior from Henrico High, does individual drills on the side rather than team work. He is coming off a knee injury that prevented him from playing last season. Goodall is expected to be ready by August.
Because of the NCAA redshirt rule that took effect last season (can play up to four games and retain redshirt year), most of Richmond’s redshirt freshmen went into spring practice with game experience.
“I know they played a little bit [last season] but you’ve got to get them better,” said Huesman. “There are probably five or six [established standouts], they’ll go through spring practice just to keep them sharp. But then there’s another probably 50 kids that we’ve got to get better, and I think these 15 practices will help us do that.”
Handling the place-kicking duties at this point is redshirt freshman Duncan Trau, the brother of Griffin Trau, UR’s kicker the last three years.