2023-12-14 12:06:03
Backup quarterback has become among the most important positions in football, as this year’s injuries across the board in the NFL have well reflected. And the Chargers are in a favorable situation in this area, now calling upon former North Dakota State standout Easton Stick in place of an injured Justin Herbert.
With Herbert reportedly out for the season due to a broken finger, Stick is set to start Thursday once morest the Raiders and beyond. The 28-year-old QB played a total of 37 offensive snaps once morest the Broncos following Herbert went down, previously seeing action on just two snaps. He went 13-of-24 passes for 179 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He was sacked twice and fumbled twice, losing one of them.
Stick shined the most on a fourth quarter drive in which the Chargers started from their own 10-yard line, where the NDSU product’s best pass came in the form of a 57-yarder to Quentin Johnston. That was followed by another 22-yard pass to Johnston and a three-yard touchdown rush by Austin Ekeler.
“I think that our team has been watching him now for three years — some of them for longer, he’s been here since 2019,” Chargers head coach Brandon Staley said. “They believe in Easton [Stick]. They know what he can do. I did think, in the second half, he did some things that we definitely need to build off of for this Thursday night.”
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As Stick gets set for his first extended run of play in the NFL, Sporting News looks back on the college numbers that earned him a chance:
Easton Stick college stats
Quarterback wins themselves may not be a stat, but there’s no denying the fact that Stick went 49-3 as the North Dakota State starter is impressive. That’s good for not only the program record, but also to make him the winningest quarterback in FCS history.
He was able to play in and win so many games because the Bison were a playoff juggernaut during his tenure. NDSU won national championships in three of the four seasons Stick played there: 2015, 2017 and 2018.
He is also the school’s all-time leader in passing yards with 8,693 and passing touchdowns with 88 total. Stick was equally efficient and notable on the ground as a college quarterback, setting the Missouri Valley Football Conference record for rushing yards (2,523) and rushing touchdowns (41) by a signal-caller.
Here’s a look into Stick’s college career stats from his time at NDSU. (He redshirted his first year on campus in 2014.)
Year G Comp To Pct Pass Yds TD INT Rush Yds TD 2015 11 90 147 61.2 1,144 13 4 498 5 2016 14 169 288 58.7 2,331 19 9 685 7 2017 15 164 264 62.1 2,466 28 8 663 12 2018 15 175 281 62.3 2,752 28 7 677 17 Totals 55 598 980 61.0 8,693 88 28 2,523 41
Easton Stick NFL Draft
The Chargers selected Stick in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, making him the 166th overall pick.
Stick was the eighth quarterback taken that year in an underwhelming class led by top overall pick Kyler Murray.
Easton Stick NFL stats
Stick has seen limited action at the NFL level, but has shown plenty of bright spots when called up on in relief (though the sample size is limited and he did have his flaws). Here’s a look at how he’s performed statistically.
Year G Comp To Pct Pass Yds TD INT 2020 1 1 1 100.0 4 0 0 2023 1 13 24 54.2 179 0 0 Totals 2 14 25 56.0 183 0 0
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