Grambling State vs. Arizona: Learning about former Ole Miss QB Devante Kincade

What will the Wildcats face in the Grambling backfield? We asked someone who would know best

When the Arizona Wildcats face the Grambling State Tigers on Saturday night, some people might recognize the name of the Tigers’ quarterback.

Devante Kincade was once a highly-ranked three-star prospect, the composite 14th-best dual-threat QB in the nation.

He ended up going to Ole Miss, but transferred to Grambling after the 2015 season.

Since he spent two years with the Rebels, and actually played in a decent amount of games (11 games, 37 rushes, 35 passing attempts), we thought to ask our friends over at Red Cup Rebellion about Kincade’s time in Oxford.

Thank you to Michael Borkey for taking the time to answer our questions. You can follow him on Twitter @MichaelBorkey

1. When Kincade was first coming to Ole Miss, what were the expectations for him at the college level?

Borkey: At the time, Ole Miss fans expected him to be the quarterback of the future. He was seemingly a perfect fit for the offense, had all the physical tools, and his social media presence (is it 2016 or what?) was something that fans loved. He, along with fellow four-star Ryan Buchanan, were expected to finally end the Rebels' dismal track record of developing high school talent behind center. But neither guy developed as expected and once Bo Wallace left, Hugh Freeze went out and got himself a Chad Kelly.

2. What would you say his biggest strengths are?

Borkey: His two biggest strengths are his athleticism and intelligence. He's the type of quarterback that fits perfectly into the modern spread option offense. He's not necessarily a big guy, but he runs very well. Even though he wasn't in Oxford long, it was clear that he was a very bright kid who got along great with anyone who he encountered. That second part doesn't directly translate to production on the field so much, but mentally he will be prepared and the environment won't be too big for him.

3. How would you evaluate him when he did get into games at Ole Miss?

Borkey: He saw VERY limited action at Ole Miss, but in the times that he did it was clear that he wasn’t consistent enough throwing the ball down the field to be successful long-term in the SEC. Kincade completed 71 percent of his 35 attempts during two seasons in Oxford, but those throws 1) came in garbage time and 2) averaged just 8.2 yards per completion. To put that in perspective, Kelly averaged 8.8 yards per attempt last season.

That certainly could have changed over this off-season, but he wasn’t an effective enough passer to get significant snaps.

4. Was it a surprise when he decided to transfer to Grambling?

Borkey: Not at all. Although he is a great kid, he likely could see the writing on the wall regarding the amount of field time he'd see at Ole Miss and there were rumblings about a transfer for quite some time. By the time of the 2015 season opener, he'd dropped to third on the depth chart behind Kelly and Buchanan.

Ole Miss fans still adore him, though, as he's an extremely likable guy who has a ton of talent.

Thanks again to Michael for taking the time to answer our questions. Be sure to hit up Red Cup Rebellion for the best Ole Miss coverage around

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