Interview: Arkansas 2018 QB Connor Noland Makes the Game Look Easy
Written by Ryan Wright
Twitter: @HogManInLA
Most of the good ones and all of the great ones do it – they make the game look easy somehow and in some way. In little to no time at all, watching Greenwood High School quarterback Connor Noland throw during a game is like watching a budding master at work. Noland is quickly proving to be one of the best in his class.
The praise is high for Noland but well within the realm of reality without overdoing it. When Noland drops back to pass, he has an easy throwing motion with a strong arm that picks opposing Arkansas high school defenses a part. Some of the completions are simple bubble screens or slants, but all the others are a work of art seeing defenders who think they have a shot at an interception or a defended pass only to see the ball sail over the tips of their fingers or into a tight window that is beyond Noland’s sophomore classification.
Stat lovers will have to find a different way to wrap their head around Noland’s play on the field. The Bulldogs rotate Noland and Class of 2017 quarterback Luke Hales every other series. During his freshman season, not everything went perfectly but the signs of things to come were there. Noland threw for 1,187 yards with six touchdowns against five picks. The success and struggles parlayed into a sophomore campaign of 872 yards on 73 of 107 passing with nine touchdowns against just two picks.
Another element started to emerge in Noland’s game, a dual-threat aspect. Still more of a pocket passer in Greenwood’s spread, the 6’2”, 185 pound, talent showed he could run if and when needed covering 431 yards on the ground off 61 carries with four additional touchdowns.
If words do not back the prevailing thought on Noland, perhaps his offer list will add credibility. Noland has received offers from Arkansas, Kentucky, Ole Miss, Arkansas State, Missouri, Utah State, North Carolina, Penn State, Memphis, Texas A&M, and UCLA. The list of 11 could be doubled in the coming weeks with interest from Stanford, Alabama, Arizona State, Duke, Florida, LSU, Florida State, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oregon, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Oklahoma, Northwestern, TCU, West Virginia, Vanderbilt, Washington, Utah, and Tennessee.
In a Recruiting News Guru exclusive interview, I sat down with the four-star quarterback to go over his progression on the field, focus with during offseason workouts, and received a recruiting news update.
Interview
Connor, highlight reels can be misleading sometimes, especially for a quarterback. Looks like the Bulldogs offense is a spread or do you guys run more than the spread?
“We are spread all of the time. I’m never under center in our offense.”
Do you ever get time under center either in practice or with a quarterback coach?
“I do with my QB coach (Dennis Gile). I work under center with him. At school I don’t worry about it because of our offense. I am open to the pro-style offense. I’m not scared of it.”
You are in a unique situation splitting snaps with Luke Hales. How does that work?
“We split every other series right now. That’s how we split the reps. Today (Thursday) we had a team camp, we split every rep.”
Will you guys keep that same trend of splitting reps next year?
“Yes, we’ll do that during the season too.”
You’ve had two years of playing varsity ball to help craft your game. What are some of the things you do well as a quarterback at this point in your career?
“My decision making, since I have had so much experience. One of the main things is extending plays. I’m not considered a dual-threat but when pressured I can make something out of it.”
Which game was your best game last year and why do you consider that your best game?
“I think my best game was against Van Buren. We prepared that week really well. We knew what they were going to do. We had some good calls at the right time.”
Have you had a lightbulb moment where things started clicking for you on the field and you started to figure everything out?
“I think this year it has slowed down. Last year was fast sometimes I was lost at times. Everything is coming better and quicker for me now.”
What are some of the things you do well from a technique standpoint?
“Dennis Gile has helped me a lot to get my form down. That is all we work on. His main focus is mechanics. It works well for me. His coaching is a big help for me.”
What are you working on in the offseason for the upcoming season?
“The quickness of my reads, find the right guy quicker, and the speed of the game. I’m getting faster and making decisions quicker.”
Will your role within the offense change at all next year?
“I don’t think it will change much. It should be the same. I might do a little bit more running this year. We lost of our running back from last year. I might run more this year.”
You guys went 12-1 last year and came close to a championship year. How does the team look heading into 2016?
“We’re looking good and getting better all the time.”
How many offers do you have right now?
“I have 11 offers.”
Are any schools coming at you a little bit harder than the others?
“None of them are pushing me to commit. Most want me to come visit. No one is pushing hard right now.”
Which teams are showing a lot of Interest but have not offered yet?
“I have heard from Florida and Oklahoma. They are two big ones that have come by the school to watch me throw. Two good offers if they do offer me.”
Which schools have you taken unofficial visits to so far?
“Arkansas, Arizona State, Missouri, UCLA, Texas A&M, and Arkansas State.”
I’ll ask you a question I’m sure you’ve been asked a million times but, how did the Arkansas trip go?
“It went really good. I talked to Coach (Bret) Bielema (head coach) for the first time. I really like those guys. They seem like good coaches. I watched one of their spring practices. I like the way they run practice – high intensity and at a good speed. I sat in the classroom. I liked the stuff they were going over and the stuff they were teaching them in there.”
How did your trip to Texas A&M go?
“I went there for their spring game. I’m going down there again June 7-9. It was good. Coach (Noel) Mazzone (offensive coordinator) – I have known him since the 7th grade. I’ve talked to him many times. There were a lot of fans there supporting the team. It was good to see that. The offense they run is good for me. They run a spread and throw the ball a lot.”
Do you have any upcoming visits planned?
“Yes. I’m planning on visiting Michigan State, Notre Dame, Northwestern, Florida (camp), Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Duke, and North Carolina.”
Are you planning on attending any camps?
“Notre Dame, Texas A&M, and Duke. I think that is it.”
You’re not attending an Arkansas camp this year?
“Arkansas has watched me throw twice this spring. In the future I may make it but not this year.”
Some quarterbacks tend to commit early. Have you started thinking about when you might commit?
“I have not set a time frame but sometime this year – before my senior year.”
When you take visits to the various schools, what are you looking at with each?
“The staff is one of the most important things. I’m looking at the coaches. You spend most of the time with them. I want to have a good bond with them, if not, I’m not going to like it for four years. Academics is up there too. I want to go somewhere I can get a good education.”
I know you are a big baseball player as well. How did the baseball season go for you?
“I’m still 50/50 with baseball and football. We lost in semifinals. The team that beat us won state. We played close with them. Baseball is good. Baseball is still an option.”
Which schools are showing interest in you for baseball?
“I have an offer from Arkansas, New Mexico, and Northwestern for baseball. Texas A&M, Florida, Missouri, and most of the SEC schools like Vanderbilt. All those guys have been in contact with me.”
When you are not pitching which position are you playing?
“I’m playing third.”
Do you know your stats from this season?
“I pitched 40 innings with 60 strikeout and nine walks. My ERA was 1.85 and my WHIP was one.”
What about in the box?
“My batting average was .372. I had 11 doubles, two triples, one homerun, and knocked in 22. I also had 19 runs scored and three stolen bases.”
Impressive. What kind of pitcher are you on the mound? Are you more of a power pitcher or a pitcher that throws a lot of different pitches?
“I’m both really. I am a power pitcher and I have a lot of pitches. I’ve been told I throw well for a sophomore.”
What are your main pitches?
“Fastball, curve, and change up.”
What are you hitting on the radar?
“I get up to 90. That’s the highest I’ve been gunned at so far. I sit around 86 to 88.”
Do you have a GPA you don’t mind sharing?
“I have a 4.0.”
Since you have so many offers as a 2018 recruit I am assuming you’ve received your ACT or SAT test score.
“Yes. My score for right now on the ACT is a 23.”
Who has made the biggest impact on your football career?
“My dad (Frank). He’s always been there for football. He pushes me and makes me a better player. He coached me one year and takes me to all the camps and has lined up quarterback coaches for me. I appreciate all that he does.”
Nolan, thanks for your time today and good luck at all the upcoming camps.
“Thank you.”
Photo credit: twitter.com; No. 13 Connor Noland
Photo credit: twitter.com; Connor Noland on the mound
Photo credit: Noland family; Connor with Arkansas head coach Bret Bielema
Photo credit: Noland family; Connor with Texas A&M OC Noel Mazzone