Caden Creel

#12 · QB · Jacksonville State6′0″ · 200 lb · Fairhope, AL

ZPR6819th of 119 QBsLast gameW 24–0at New Mexico State · Oct 28
Nextvs Sam HoustonSat Nov 7 · 7 pm ET

Jacksonville State has won five straight in the games played, 6-2 in all. A dual-threat quarterback.

Strongest: sacked on 3% of dropbacks, 26th lowest of 158 starters. Weakest: an interception on 3.7% of throws, 23rd highest of 158 starters.

Passing yards

1,746

140 of 209, 67%

TD–INT

13–8

8.4 per throw

NCAA rating

150.0

38th of 119

ZPR

68

19th of 119

How ZPR works

Solid or better in 7 of 8 graded games.

Best by our grade: at Ohio. Lowest: at New Mexico State, with 2 interceptions. Best play: Run for 8 yards, touchdown, at Ohio, Q1 4:54. Win chance 43% to 65%.

Tap a game for its plays

Q1Q2Q3Q4

Season

Fades after halftime

How to read this

Each column is a quarter. Blue and up is a good stretch for the quarterback, red and down a bad one, hatched means the game was already decided. A red cross is a turnover and a black dot a touchdown. The word on the right grades the whole game; on games with a lot of running it grades the passing only. A gold line means the r/CFB game thread kept naming the quarterback. Dashed outlines on the Season row are last season’s average. Tap a game to open its plays: each bar is one of the quarterback’s plays, up helped the team’s chance of winning and down hurt it, and the grey line is that chance.

The word grades the game against every FBS quarterback start, from Rough to Great, using the same throws as the season Zeitgeist Passer Rating and adjusting for the defense faced. Bars are points added per throw in that quarter. The Season row leaves out quarters after a game was decided.

Style of play

Dual-threat

Why this word
Runs13.2 a gameRarelyA lot
Throws8.2 yards past the lineShortDeep
Completes67%FewerMore
Takes sacks3% of dropbacksRarelyOften

The dot is this quarterback, among this season’s starters; the tick is the middle.

Throws at a middling depth and runs a lot. 13.2 carries a game. Closest matches: Weigman ’25, Wilson, Leavitt, Green ’25.

Where the throws go

Behind the line20%typical 17%
Short47%typical 47%
Middle21%typical 22%
Deep12%typical 14%

Runs 13.2 times a game; 97% of starters run less.

Closest in style

Weigman ’25WilsonLeavittGreen ’25This QB

Nearer the middle means more alike.

  • Weigman ’25 Houston 2025 · Dual-threat
    2,705 yards, 25 TD, 9 INT. Both avoid sacks and run a lot.
  • Wilson Colorado · Mobile passer
    1,164 yards, 7 TD, 7 INT so far. Both throw interceptions and run a lot.
  • Leavitt LSU · Rhythm passer
    2,171 yards, 17 TD, 8 INT so far. Both throw interceptions and complete a lot.
  • Green ’25 Arkansas 2025 · Dual-threat
    2,714 yards, 19 TD, 11 INT. Drafted in round 6 (No. 182 overall) by Cleveland, 2026. Both throw interceptions and run a lot.

Compared with the 158 FBS starters this season for throws and running, and with 219 quarterbacks across 2 seasons for the matches, on how they play and how they have done.

This week

  • RecordJacksonville State is 6-2.
  • Last gameOct. 28 · a win over New Mexico State, 109 passing yards.
  • What fans say

    Over the last few games, Jacksonville State fans have been down on Creel's decision making.

    “Creel must have 100% accuracy in practice for them to keep trying to let him pass in a game”

    “Oh my god Creel what are you doing”

    From r/CFB game threads. Read by AI.

  • Next gamevs Sam Houston · Sat Nov 7

What’s being said

4 stories in the last 30 days, from 4 outlets.

Oct 12: 1Oct 28: 1Oct 29: 2W 27-26 at Kennesaw StateWW 27-24 vs Florida InternationalWW 24-0 at New Mexico StateWOct 6Nov 4Most in a day: 2
Oct 12: 1Oct 28: 1Oct 29: 2W 27-26 at Kennesaw StateWW 27-24 vs Florida InternationalWW 24-0 at New Mexico StateWOct 6Nov 4Most in a day: 2
Stories per day. W and L: the team’s results.

Jacksonville State Defeats New Mexico State 24-0 as Caden Creel Sets Rushing Record and Gamecocks Clinch Bowl Eligibility

Calhoun Journal Oct 29

All 7 stories this season

Worth knowing

  • Caden Creel has 13 touchdown passes in 8 games.
  • Caden Creel has 244 passing yards a game at home, 192.5 on the road.

His most important play this season

  1. Q3, 7:45 · Jacksonville State down 14Caden Creel finds Deondre Johnson for an 18-yard touchdownGeorgia Southern at Jacksonville State, week 3Q3, 7:45 · Jacksonville State 17, Georgia Southern 24Jacksonville State cut the deficit to 7 in the third quarterJacksonville State cut the deficit to 7 in the third quarterC.Creel pass complete short right to D.Johnson caught at GS03, for 18 yards to the GS00 touchdown, 1ST DOWN, kick goodWatch from this play Sun Belt Conference

All 3 of his plays on video

Caden Creel

QB · Jacksonville State · #12

Extends plays on the move until something opens up. Second year in the Jacksonville State quarterback room. The first career honor came in 2025: Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week. A game that shows it: 327 passing yards and 54 rushing yards against Eastern Kentucky — Week 1, 2026.

1,746 passing yards · 13 passing TD · 711 rushing yards