Fairhope quarterback Creel becomes newest Jacksonville State Gamecock

Dual-threat, all-state athlete set to join spread offense attack of Rich Rodriguez’s

By Cole McNanna
Sports Editor
cole@gulfcoastmedia.com
Posted 12/22/22

After he signed his National Letter of Intent at 3Circle Church, Fairhope senior quarterback Caden Creel officially became a Jacksonville State Gamecock Wednesday, Dec. 21, as part of National …

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Fairhope quarterback Creel becomes newest Jacksonville State Gamecock

Dual-threat, all-state athlete set to join spread offense attack of Rich Rodriguez’s

Posted

After he signed his National Letter of Intent at 3Circle Church, Fairhope senior quarterback Caden Creel officially became a Jacksonville State Gamecock Wednesday, Dec. 21, as part of National Signing Day.

Creel put pen to paper to cement his pledge to Jacksonville State and head coach Rich Rodriguez who is credited as one of the inventors of the spread offense.

Recognized as a first-team all-state athlete by the Alabama Sports Writers Association, Creel feels his dual-threat capabilities as a passer and thrower will blossom with the Gamecocks and offensive coordinator Rod Smith.

“The air attack, the read option attack of Rich Rodriguez and the spread offense, honestly it really just molds into my game,” Creel said Wednesday of what set Jacksonville State’s offer apart from the rest. “The athleticism and the ability to make reads and throw the ball and my decisiveness, there’s not a better offense that I could play in than Rich Rod’s offense.”

Furthermore, Creel said that the conversations they had on his official visit convinced him that’s where he needed to take his talents.

“It’s cool to see how cool of guys they are and how much they know about football and their knowledge,” Creel said. “We watched film for a little bit when I went on my visit and getting to learn from Rod Smith and Rich Rodriguez, just sitting in that one film meeting looking at the way they do their thing – their vertical scheme, their run scheme and everything else – it’s good to learn from somebody like that.”

Of course, there is a local precedent already in place where Rodriguez previously worked with another dual-threat quarterback from the Eastern Shore at the University of West Virginia in Daphne’s Pat White. Creel said their playing similarities continued to make the decision feel like a shoe-in.

“I'm really excited, that offense really fits me very well. It's something I'm really looking forward to, the spread offense with Rich Rod and Rod Smith, they created it with Pat White,” Creel said after the AHSAA All-Star game Dec. 16. “I've heard so many people tell me that I play just like him so hearing that stuff and like how it fits me, I'm just ready to get there and get rolling.”

With that, they hosted a signing ceremony at 3Circle Church in the community that has given so much to Creel.

“It goes to show the Fairhope community is awesome, it doesn’t get much better than living in Fairhope. Everybody’s there to support you, they want to see you move onto big things,” Creel said Wednesday. “I’m really glad that everyone that supports me got a chance to come and be there and witness it just because they’re a part of who I am and Fairhope is a big part of who I am and always will be.”

While he said he did feel like he got a big monkey off of his back, Creel knows the work is only just beginning.

“It's exciting, a lot of stress off my shoulders now that I’m signed there and I’m going there in the summer,” Creel said. “It relieves a lot of stress and I’m just ready to get out there and compete and see what I can do.”