Inside The Stables: Stinson Excites In Debut

By Press release submission

Sep 29, 2022

Nearly three years since his last in-game snap, redshirt sophomore Jayden Stinson received the starting nod against Eastern Illinois this past Saturday.

Stinson red-shirted the 2020 COVID-19 season and did not enter a game in the 2021 season.

An off the field ankle injury, which occurred while he was weed eating, prevented him from seeing the field after starter DJ Williams went down with an injury of his own late in the second quarter of the season opener against Texas Tech.

With Stinson out with his injury, Head Coach Dean Hood turned to a redshirt freshmen and then a true freshmen in games two and three, but that led to offensive struggles.

In game four, Coach Hood called upon his fourth quarterback of the season and this time it was Stinson, back from his ankle injury.

"There were definitely some nerves today, being the first time I've been on the field in three years, but I felt like the line did outstanding and the receivers taking easy completions, letting them do what they do," Stinson said. "That allowed me to get comfortable back there and continue to throw the ball."

Stinson looked comfortable from the start of the game. On the first play of the game he completed a 4-yard pass to LaMartez Brooks, then on second-and-6 he completed a 23-yard pass to Jake Saathoff. Stinson capped off the first drive with a 12-yard touchdown pass to DeQuan Dallas.

"He's young, he has things to improve on, everybody has things to improve on, but since he's been here at Murray, he's been progressing every year so I think he has a lot to look forward to as he progresses through his years at Murray," Dallas said when asked about his connection with Stinson after having the most receptions and targets from him.

On that first drive, Stinson went 4-for-7 with 50 yards and a passing touchdown. His hot start to the game on the opening drive gave the offense a different feel and it was like that for much of the team's offensive possessions.

Coach Hood was more pleased with his offense than in previous weeks.

"At least we had an offense," Coach Hood said. "We haven't had an offense since the first half of Texas Tech. We had an offense, that was a good feeling."

The idea of actually having an offense was something that Coach Hood credited to Stinson and what he was able to do on the field.

Stinson finished the game with 334 yards and three touchdowns, while going 28-for-46 passing.

Stinson getting the start was not something that was guaranteed at the beginning of the week, it was something that came together towards the end of the week.

"At the beginning of the week, I wasn't exactly sure if I was going to be getting the starting nod, but I still wanted to prepare like I was," Stinson said.

Stinson had not seen in game action since the 2019 Kentucky Class 2A state championship game. This was something that Coach Hood acknowledged post-game.

"Jayden's last football game that he played was against Sommerset High School in the state championship," Coach Hood said. "I can't say enough, you got to be kidding me, really what that kid did was amazing."

In his career at Mayfield High School, Stinson threw for 9,550-yards, 114 touchdowns and had a 65% completion rate, in addition to being named the 2019 Paducah Sun All-Purchase Player of the Year.

This week, Stinson will look to lead the racers to their first victory of the season as they travel to Hammond, Louisiana to face off against Southern Louisiana.