Junior quarterback for Jacksonville State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′0″ · 200 lb · Fairhope, AL · Fairhope HS
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
passing yards · 2026
6 TD · 2 INT · 9 per attempt
3 games into 2026 so far -- Backed by 327 yds · 5 TD -- top 1% passing TDs game. -- Best game: 327 pass yds, 5 TD, 1 INT, vs Eastern Kentucky
The play that turned itSwung Jacksonville State from 46% to 85% to win.Jacksonville State at Florida International · 27-21
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 quarterback for Jacksonville State. 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
The full story, with sourcesAura™ · Him Watch
-6aura tax
18th pctl our passing-value metric (wEPA) QBs · 160 qualified, n=11
— the discourse is fair.Buzz vs Tape
Every angle we can check here reads about where you'd expect this season.
Caden Creel
Extends plays with his feet until something opens up. Second year in the Jacksonville State quarterback room, same address the whole way. In 2025 the league put his name on paper for the first time: Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week. The receipt: 327 pass yds, 54 rush yds against Eastern Kentucky — Week 1, 2026.
677 PASS YDS · 6 PASS TD · 218 RUSH YDS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
Career arc
Badges
Season context · Team result + system
2 seasons under Charles Kelly — 10-7 over that span.
Where this profile ranks vs the QB cohort
Box-score percentiles
Elite: rush yards (100th percentile). Strength: yards / att (92nd percentile). Concern: interceptions (27th percentile).
Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.
Pass Profile · True throw depth (charted plays)
Adjusted ANY/A, sack rate, and where the yards came from
Adjusted ANY/A
8.7821 of 75 QBsSack rate
5.1%39 of 75 QBsSacked on 5.1% of dropbacks (39 of 75) — and still 21 of 75 in Adjusted ANY/A.
Adjusted ANY/A uses full-season box-score totals (attempts, yards, TDs, INTs); sack rate is play-by-play-derived.
Behind LOS · Negative air yds
Short · 0–9 air yds
Middle · 10–19 air yds
Deep · 20+ air yds
Overall 68.0% completion on 75 attempts · 38% completion on 8 deep attempts (20+ air yds).
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| YDS/g | TD/g | YPA | INT/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 327 | 5.0 | 11.7 | 1.0 |
| Road2g | 175 | 0.5 | 7.3 | 0.5 |
First half vs Second half
| YDS/g | TD/g | YPA | INT/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 226 | 2.0 | 8.8 | 0.7 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Charles Kelly
Pass share
43.2%
79 pass / 104 run
Plays / game
61.0
3 games
Scheme: Run-leaning, slow tempo.
Player standing · 2026
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Recognition
2026 outlook
In the mix for All-Conference USA
Based on 2025: #4 of 16 Conference USA QBs
35% estimated, 95% confidence interval 31–38%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
| Season | Team | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Jacksonville State | 51 | 75 | 68.0% | 677 | 9.0 | 6 | 2 | 164.9 | 64 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Jacksonville State | 130 | 211 | 61.6% | 1,514 | 7.2 | 9 | 4 | 132.2 | 37 | -- | -- |
| Career | 181 | 286 | 63.3% | 2,191 | 7.7 | 15 | 6 | 140.7 | 44 | -- | -- |
| Season | Team | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Jacksonville State | 54 | 218 | 4.0 | 2 | -- |
| 2025 | Jacksonville State | 182 | 1,075 | 5.9 | 7 | -- |
| Career | 236 | 1,293 | 5.5 | 9 | -- |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 49–7
327 yds · 5 TD · 1 INT · 54 rush yds (10 car)
Dominant 42-point win at home against Eastern Kentucky.
With J. Williams — -4 rush yds (1 car) · C. Donaghy — 52 AVG · 52 LONG · 1 NO
Signature plays · top plays by |EPA|
The plays that mattered most
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | CMP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT | YPA | QBR | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 7-33@ North Dakota State | 12/23 | 85 | 0 | 1 | 3.7 | 32.2 | Season-high 327 yds |
| Wk 1 | W 49-7vs Eastern Kentucky | 21/28 | 327 | 5 | 1 | 11.7 | — | Season-high 327 yds |
| Wk 2 | L 27-29@ Ohio | 18/24 | 265 | 1 | 0 | 11.0 | 60.4 | |
| Total | 51/75 | 677 | 6 | 2 | 8.8 | 46.3 |
Play style
Makes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise.
CFB Index positional classification
2026 Outlook
Jacksonville State
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Quarterback · Jacksonville State
Returning around him
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Jacksonville State · Last season: 9-5 · Talent rank #93 · 2026 recruiting class #86
Player DNA
Makes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Broc Lowry’s 2025 season.
Matches Broc on
Differs from Broc on
Through 2 college seasons, his career arc tracks closest to Drew Pyne’s path through Bowling Green.
Matches Drew on
As a freshman, his production profile tracks closest to Chandler Rogers's freshman season at UL Monroe (2021).
Differs from Chandler on
Player DNA
Heisman Trajectory · 2026
Peaked at #70 this season.
-2026 Phil Steele Preseason First-Team All-CUSA -2025 IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl MVP 2025: Saw action in all 14 games, starting the final nine...Showed his athleticism by recording passing, rushing, receiving, and punt return yardage during the season... Took over quarterback responsibilities a...