Following months of speculation and a well-publicized battle, Stony Brook Football Head Coach Chuck Priore announced today that junior Tyquell Fields will be the team’s starting quarterback for the upcoming season.
“I’m very pleased to have the opportunity to name Tyquell the starting quarterback,” Priore said. “First and foremost, Jack Cassidy and Tyquell are good friends and both performed at a high level. It was pretty neat to watch the competition and their development as players and as leaders over the course of the last six months.”
Fields enters his fourth year at Stony Brook, with two years of eligibility left after taking a redshirt his freshman year. Fields has seen action in a combined 14 games over the past two years, including getting action in last year’s FCS Playoffs first round loss at Southeast Missouri.
“It feels great. I’ve been waiting for this moment for years now,” Fields said. “I’m just taking all of this in and enjoying the moment. I’ll work hard for this team and lead this team to a championship.”
How Fields manages the weapons at his disposal will dictate the Seawolves success this upcoming season. Returning starting wide receiver Nick Anderson is joined by Brandon Benson, a junior who transferred to Stony Brook in the spring from Southern Methodist University, as well as graduate transfer, Jean Constant, from Bryant University.
Fields, who rushed for 49 yards on 20 carries last season, will not need to be on the run as much this year with an experienced offensive line protecting him. “For the first time in a long time in my career we’ve got a lot of depth,” Co-Offensive Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach Chris Bache said. “We have seven, eight, maybe nine guys and a lot of competition going on between all these kids. The drop off is not a lot, which is good. For the most part the kids are playing well and are competing with one another.”
Stony Brook’s season kicks off next with the home opener on Aug. 29 versus Bryant University. The Seawolves, who are 11-1 at home the past two seasons, will host another six games this season at home in Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.
