Lost amidst all the NASCAR and A.J. Allmendinger blogs was the news that UC backup quarterback Chazz Anderson (whose legal name is Timothy Chazz Anderson) has decided to leave the Bearcats and transfer to another school.
In a report by Bill Koch of the Cincinnati Enquirer, head coach Butch Jones has stated that Anderson, a 2007 graduate of Pickerington Central High School just outside Columbus, will receive his UC undergraduate degree and head to Ohio Dominican to play and study to be a minister.
“Chazz wants to go in the seminary,” Jones told Koch. “That’s why Ohio Dominican is very attractive to him because they have a seminary program. He wants to go into the ministry.”
While I have yet to see any credible reports with any quotes from Anderson, I would believe this is 100 percent true. (In the article, Jones was “about 90 percent sure”)
A lot of people asked me over the past few weeks what I thought of Chazz Anderson’s departure. Let me tell you just how great Chazz is.
In four years of working with the Bearcat football program, I’ve come to know Chazz Anderson, and he is one hell of a young man. And while I certainly wish he would stay and continue his playing career as a Bearcat, I understand that he wants to play quarterback, and there’s just no room at UC for him on the quarterback depth chart.
In October of 2008, Anderson stepped into the starting quarterback role after Tony Pike broke his arm against Akron. He started against Marshall and Rutgers, leading UC to two important wins on the road to the school’s first-ever BCS bowl berth and Big East title.
In a report by Bill Koch of the Cincinnati Enquirer, head coach Butch Jones has stated that Anderson, a 2007 graduate of Pickerington Central High School just outside Columbus, will receive his UC undergraduate degree and head to Ohio Dominican to play and study to be a minister.
“Chazz wants to go in the seminary,” Jones told Koch. “That’s why Ohio Dominican is very attractive to him because they have a seminary program. He wants to go into the ministry.”
While I have yet to see any credible reports with any quotes from Anderson, I would believe this is 100 percent true. (In the article, Jones was “about 90 percent sure”)
A lot of people asked me over the past few weeks what I thought of Chazz Anderson’s departure. Let me tell you just how great Chazz is.
In four years of working with the Bearcat football program, I’ve come to know Chazz Anderson, and he is one hell of a young man. And while I certainly wish he would stay and continue his playing career as a Bearcat, I understand that he wants to play quarterback, and there’s just no room at UC for him on the quarterback depth chart.
In October of 2008, Anderson stepped into the starting quarterback role after Tony Pike broke his arm against Akron. He started against Marshall and Rutgers, leading UC to two important wins on the road to the school’s first-ever BCS bowl berth and Big East title.
Anderson makes a pass against Marshall in 2008 (File photo)
But it wasn’t just me that was fired up about the way Chazz handled himself and played against Marshall and Rutgers. My good friend and occasional blog contributor Jake Meyer was interested in Chazz’s play as well.
So on Tuesday, Oct. 16 of ’08, I wrote, “Jake was rather impressed with Anderson in the two games he watched him play. Maybe Jake will get to see Chazz tear up Pitt in a few years and say, ‘I told you so.’”
That won’t happen, but it didn’t stop Jake from commenting a few weeks ago about Anderson’s departure. “I was really impressed a few years ago when I watched those games,” Jake told me.
So was I.
Don’t get me wrong, I really wish there was a way for Bearcat fans to continue to see Chazz Anderson on the field next season. On top of being a pretty good athlete and decent football player, he’s one of the nicest guys off of the field.
I’m certainly going to miss the interactions I’ve had with Chazz over the past four years, but I will probably always use him as a shining example of the way a player should act—both on and off the field.
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The most obvious story that this has created is ‘Who is the new No. 2 quarterback?’ Right now, it’s a wide open race between Brendon Kay, Jordan Luallen and Munchie Legaux. And I’m sure we’ll know before the Bearcats take the field against Austin Peay on Saturday, Sept. 3.
Have a great Tuesday.
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