Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Offseason football position breakdown: Quarterbacks
5/10/2020 4:00:00 PM | Football
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — Asher O'Hara took the reins as Middle Tennessee's starting quarterback last season, and though he performed admirably, he's excited for more growth as a second-year starter.
"For me personally this offseason, I'm just focusing on being a better leader," he said. "I'm getting healthy and throwing with my brothers right now during the quarantine … we've been getting good workouts in together."
The Rolling Meadows, Illinois native finished last season with 2,616 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns and just eight interceptions. He was also one of the best quarterbacks in the country with his legs, finishing with a team-high 1,058 rushing yards — third in the nation among QBs — and nine touchdowns. He's one of just two Blue Raider signal callers ever to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
It was clear in 2019 O'Hara was MT's best weapon offensively not only when he was throwing to a good group of receivers, but also when he took off on the ground. In 2020, with what appears to be a better backfield around him and talent on the outside, he might be able to showcase his arm a little more.
"The biggest thing is I need to do a better job with putting him in better situations on third down," MT offensive coordinator and QBs coach Tony Franklin said. "He had a remarkable year for a sophomore … but I have to put him in better situations on third down so we can have more success.
"When you go back and look at his numbers, there haven't been very many players in the history of this school that have put up seasons like he did."
Behind O'Hara, Middle Tennessee has a valuable, experienced backup in Chase Cunningham, a rising redshirt junior. He's appeared in nine games the past two seasons, including last year when he relieved O'Hara in the second half at North Texas and completed 9 of 16 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown to go with a rushing score.
Another a redshirt junior, Randall Johnson, is a third arm Franklin is excited to have.
"Chase is a good player," Franklin said. "He's gotten better and works really hard. Asher knows if he doesn't remain at a high level, Chase can step in and beat him out. That's what you want in a backup, somebody who you have complete and total confidence in.
"Before we went on the break, Randall had made incredible improvements in his physical body and his learning and knowledge. I was really excited to watch him in the spring, and just hate it that he doesn't get the reps with the spring gone."
Here's a little more on Middle Tennessee's quarterbacks:
Starter
Asher O'Hara, R-Jr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-0/188
Hometown: Rolling Meadows, Illinois
• Entered the starting lineup in 2019; 2,616 passing yards, 29 total TDs (20 passing), 63% completion percentage, team-high 1,058 rushing yards and 9 rushing TDs
• Led C-USA in total offense (3,674 yards, 306.4 per game)
• Second QB in school history to have 1,000 rushing yards in a season
• Four 300-yard passing games in 2019 equal the third most in a single-season at MT
• Led team with 13 plays of 20 or more yards (all rushing)
• Completed 22 of 32 passes for 217 yards, 2 TDs at No. 7 Michigan
• His fourth 300-yard passing game of 2019 was against WKU. He had 301 passing yards, 144 rushing yards and 3 TDs
• Played at College of DuPage (IL) for a season before transferring to MT
Rest of the bunch
Chase Cunningham, R-Jr.
Ht./Wt.: 5-11/190
Hometown: Knoxville, TN (Knox Catholic)
• Played in 5 games in 2019; 221 passing yards, 3 TDs (2 passing)
• Against North Texas, completed 9 of 16 passes, 119 passing yards, 2 TDs (one passing)
• Earned the team's sophomore academic award in 2019
Randall Johnson, R-Jr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-5/241
Hometown: Los Angeles
• Saw action in one game in 2019, late against ODU, and took a redshirt
• Played two seasons at Reedley College (CA), earning Golden Coast Conference Player of the Year in 2018; passed for 2,832 yards, 28 TDs and rushed for 797 yards, 14 TDs
• In a win over Merced College in 2018, threw for 5 TDs, rushed for another
Alec Ogden, R-So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/198
Hometown: Marshall, WI
• Took a redshirt in 2019, his first season at MT
• Spent one season at Bemidji State (MN); in 2018, appeared in 9 games (4 starts), 1,132 passing yards, 16 total TDs (15 passing)
Joey Cambron, R-Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-0/188
Hometown: Owensboro, KY
• Took a redshirt as a freshman in 2019 after joining the team as a preferred walk-on
• Had over 7,000 passing yards, 95 touchdowns in two seasons at Daviess County High School
• High school teammate of Blue Raider redshirt freshman wide receiver Marquel Tinsley
Dylan Carpenter, So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-2/215
Hometown: Mt. Juliet, TN
• A walk-on who was redshirted last year
• Lettered in football at Wilson Central High School
• Earned all-district honors and was a team captain
Stone Frost, So.
Ht./Wt.: 5-10/217
Hometown: Decaturville, TN
• A walk-on who was redshirted last year
"For me personally this offseason, I'm just focusing on being a better leader," he said. "I'm getting healthy and throwing with my brothers right now during the quarantine … we've been getting good workouts in together."
The Rolling Meadows, Illinois native finished last season with 2,616 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns and just eight interceptions. He was also one of the best quarterbacks in the country with his legs, finishing with a team-high 1,058 rushing yards — third in the nation among QBs — and nine touchdowns. He's one of just two Blue Raider signal callers ever to reach 1,000 rushing yards in a season.
It was clear in 2019 O'Hara was MT's best weapon offensively not only when he was throwing to a good group of receivers, but also when he took off on the ground. In 2020, with what appears to be a better backfield around him and talent on the outside, he might be able to showcase his arm a little more.
"The biggest thing is I need to do a better job with putting him in better situations on third down," MT offensive coordinator and QBs coach Tony Franklin said. "He had a remarkable year for a sophomore … but I have to put him in better situations on third down so we can have more success.
"When you go back and look at his numbers, there haven't been very many players in the history of this school that have put up seasons like he did."
Behind O'Hara, Middle Tennessee has a valuable, experienced backup in Chase Cunningham, a rising redshirt junior. He's appeared in nine games the past two seasons, including last year when he relieved O'Hara in the second half at North Texas and completed 9 of 16 passes for 119 yards and a touchdown to go with a rushing score.
Another a redshirt junior, Randall Johnson, is a third arm Franklin is excited to have.
"Chase is a good player," Franklin said. "He's gotten better and works really hard. Asher knows if he doesn't remain at a high level, Chase can step in and beat him out. That's what you want in a backup, somebody who you have complete and total confidence in.
"Before we went on the break, Randall had made incredible improvements in his physical body and his learning and knowledge. I was really excited to watch him in the spring, and just hate it that he doesn't get the reps with the spring gone."
Here's a little more on Middle Tennessee's quarterbacks:
Starter
Asher O'Hara, R-Jr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-0/188
Hometown: Rolling Meadows, Illinois
• Entered the starting lineup in 2019; 2,616 passing yards, 29 total TDs (20 passing), 63% completion percentage, team-high 1,058 rushing yards and 9 rushing TDs
• Led C-USA in total offense (3,674 yards, 306.4 per game)
• Second QB in school history to have 1,000 rushing yards in a season
• Four 300-yard passing games in 2019 equal the third most in a single-season at MT
• Led team with 13 plays of 20 or more yards (all rushing)
• Completed 22 of 32 passes for 217 yards, 2 TDs at No. 7 Michigan
• His fourth 300-yard passing game of 2019 was against WKU. He had 301 passing yards, 144 rushing yards and 3 TDs
• Played at College of DuPage (IL) for a season before transferring to MT
Rest of the bunch
Chase Cunningham, R-Jr.
Ht./Wt.: 5-11/190
Hometown: Knoxville, TN (Knox Catholic)
• Played in 5 games in 2019; 221 passing yards, 3 TDs (2 passing)
• Against North Texas, completed 9 of 16 passes, 119 passing yards, 2 TDs (one passing)
• Earned the team's sophomore academic award in 2019
Randall Johnson, R-Jr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-5/241
Hometown: Los Angeles
• Saw action in one game in 2019, late against ODU, and took a redshirt
• Played two seasons at Reedley College (CA), earning Golden Coast Conference Player of the Year in 2018; passed for 2,832 yards, 28 TDs and rushed for 797 yards, 14 TDs
• In a win over Merced College in 2018, threw for 5 TDs, rushed for another
Alec Ogden, R-So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-4/198
Hometown: Marshall, WI
• Took a redshirt in 2019, his first season at MT
• Spent one season at Bemidji State (MN); in 2018, appeared in 9 games (4 starts), 1,132 passing yards, 16 total TDs (15 passing)
Joey Cambron, R-Fr.
Ht./Wt.: 6-0/188
Hometown: Owensboro, KY
• Took a redshirt as a freshman in 2019 after joining the team as a preferred walk-on
• Had over 7,000 passing yards, 95 touchdowns in two seasons at Daviess County High School
• High school teammate of Blue Raider redshirt freshman wide receiver Marquel Tinsley
Dylan Carpenter, So.
Ht./Wt.: 6-2/215
Hometown: Mt. Juliet, TN
• A walk-on who was redshirted last year
• Lettered in football at Wilson Central High School
• Earned all-district honors and was a team captain
Stone Frost, So.
Ht./Wt.: 5-10/217
Hometown: Decaturville, TN
• A walk-on who was redshirted last year
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