Murray State quarterbacks coach impressed with Cam Miller’s growth.
The X account is still active, albeit not as persistent as it was when Zeb Noland was coaching, and playing quarterback, at the University of South Carolina. Life is more about trying to bring Murray State football to Division I FCS standards, and less about social media.
But Brig. Gen. Zebuliah Noland was a hit, a parody account where the language mimicked Civil War battles. The last one was dated Feb. 9, when Noland, a former North Dakota State quarterback, accepted the position as quarterbacks coach at Murray.
“Dearest Racer Nation, ready the cannons. We ride — Zebuliah.”
Friday afternoon, Noland was sitting in the stands at Roy Stewart Stadium in Murray talking about what it will take for the Racers to ride in the Missouri Valley Football Conference. The 1-6 Racers, 0-4 in the league, host North Dakota State Saturday afternoon, which will be a reunion of sorts for Noland.
He was a senior when Bison starting quarterback Cam Miller was a fresh-faced true freshman in the pandemic-delayed spring season of 2021. Three years later, Miller is putting together one of the better seasons in Bison history and is being considered as one of the favorites for the Walter Payton Award that goes to the best offensive player in the FCS.
Noland first saw Miller at a summer football camp before Miller’s senior year at Solon High School (Iowa). Noland said he already sensed a “Brock Purdy-ish” look to Miller’s play, in reference to Purdy, a former teammate of Noland’s at Iowa State and now the quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers.
“I told him they were spitting images of each other, how they prepared and how their playing style was similar,” Noland said. “The biggest difference with him now in what I see is seeing his decision making when things break down. Early in his career he would throw it away. He does a good job of finding those guys on the sideline and getting it out. It doesn’t matter who is out there, he throws a good catchable ball and allows them to make plays.”
Noland came to NDSU from Iowa State in 2019, backing up Trey Lance in that national championship season. He finished his career after the ‘21 spring season and took a position as a graduate assistant at South Carolina.
He became somewhat of a seasonal legend with the Gamecocks, taking off his coaching hat and getting back on the field because of injuries to South Carolina quarterbacks. He played in seven games in the fall of 2021 completing 56% of his passes with 7 touchdowns and 1 interception.
He remained on the Gamecocks’ staff in 2022, helped his head coaching father as offensive coordinator at Jefferson High School in Georgia last season before Murray head coach Jody Wright called. Wright recruited Noland when he was an assistant at Alabama and both coached together at South Carolina.
There are challenges trying to build a program at Murray, starting this year with a young team. That will be the case on Saturday facing the Bison.
“Half this roster I’ve played with and saw those guys grow,” Noland said. “And if you look around the Valley it’s the same way. Everybody’s old in this league. We’re young and there’s growing pains but I think it’s good for us because I think our guys are seeing how challenging it is.”
Noland said a big influence in his coaching style is taking what he saw in NDSU quarterbacks coach Randy Hedberg.
“Sometimes you can say too much and put a fog in their head,” he said. “At practice I try to be like coach Hedberg, say something when I need to and correct a mistake but sometimes you have to step back and watch.”
The Bison connections remain strong. He and Lance, now the backup quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, talk at least five times a week. Noland stays in touch with former Bison quarterbacks Easton Stick, Cole Davis and Noah Sanders. Two of his former Bison roommates, Garret Wegner and Cole Jacob, are coming to the NDSU game and staying with Noland this weekend.
Certainly, once it’s kickoff, it’s time for battle for Brig. Gen. Zebuliah Noland.
“But you know, it really does bring joy to a former player’s heart to see how many guys, the ones that stayed, how well they’re doing and how well they’re playing and what they’ve instilled in the young guys.”
That includes Miller, who Noland says has a big task this week getting backup quarterback Nathan Hayes ready to play after No. 2 Cole Payton went down with a shoulder injury.
“I was in those shoes that spring season, I had to get (Miller) ready to play and make sure he was at his best,” Noland said.
Leave a Reply