Marcus Stokes moves up one spot in CBS Sports’ QB power rankings
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Every week CBS Sports’ David Cobb updates his “College Football QB Power Rankings,” and he moved Marcus Stokes up one spot after week 4. Stokes was at No. 40 a week ago but appears at No. 39 in the latest ranking.
The Tigers didn’t have a game last week after playing four games to start the season, including a week zero matchup against UNLV, but despite the off week, Stokes has done enough to move up a spot after other performances around him last week.
Stokes transferred to Memphis from then Division 2 West Florida, and he spent most of the spring and preseason in a quarterback battle with South Carolina transfer Air Noland. Charles Huff refused to name a starter the week leading up to the first game of the season and left everyone waiting until the game started to find out who the QB would be.
Stokes has played well through the first four games of the season, and he has recorded 1,053 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions on 98 attempts this season. His numbers put him at No. 26 nationally for passing yards, No. 22 for touchdowns and No. 17 for quarterback rating (83.5).
After a clean game against the Rebels, Stokes threw two interceptions against Arkansas State and one against Boise state, and there was some fear about if the quarterback would have a turnover issue throughout the year.
He responded to those questions by throwing for 258 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions in his most recent outing against UT Martin. In that game, he threw three touchdowns in the first half and one early in the third quarter before Huff decided to pull the starters.
Stokes will face challenges in conference play as opposing teams get more film on him, but he has shown that he can be one of the better quarterbacks in the conference.
He’s the top-ranked quarterback from the American conference in Cobb’s rankings, and the fifth-highest ranked quarterback from the Group of Six.
Oregon State’s Braden Atkinson, Toledo’s John Alan Richter, App. State’s Malachi Singleton and UMass’ William “Pop” Watson all rank higher than Stokes.
Former Tiger quarterback JC French IV is also ahead of Stokes at No. 30.
Stokes will have an opportunity to improve on his numbers on Saturday when the Tigers travel to Charlotte for their first conference game against the 49ers, but it will be interesting to see how much Memphis throws the ball with a high chance of rain throughout the game. The game was moved from 2:30 p.m. CT to 10 a.m. CT due to a threat of imminent weather in the afternoon.
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