Jake Bentley
Bentley with South Carolina in 2018
Current position
TitleQuarterbacks coach
TeamNorth Alabama
ConferenceASUN
Biographical details
Born (1997-11-23) November 23, 1997 (age 26)
Duncan, South Carolina, U.S.
Playing career
2016–2019South Carolina
2020Utah
2021South Alabama
Position(s)Quarterback
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2022Florida Atlantic (GA)
2023–presentNorth Alabama (QB)

Jacob Lane Bentley (born November 23, 1997) is an American football coach and former player who is currently the quarterbacks coach at the University of North Alabama. Bentley played college football for the South Carolina Gamecocks, the Utah Utes, and the South Alabama Jaguars.[1]

Early years

Bentley attended James F. Byrnes High School in Duncan, South Carolina as a freshman, where his father, Bobby Bentley, had been the head coach.[2] He transferred to Opelika High School in Opelika, Alabama, after his father took a coaching role with the Auburn Tigers. As a junior, he passed for 2,834 yards and 28 touchdowns. Bentley reclassified and graduated early after his junior season after his father became a coach for the South Carolina Gamecocks.[3][4][5] He committed to the University of South Carolina to play college football.[6][7]

College career

South Carolina

2016 season

Bentley entered his true freshman year at South Carolina in 2016 as a redshirt behind starters Perry Orth and Brandon Mcllwain. After the Gamecocks started the season with a 2–4 record, Bentley's redshirt was removed. He made his first career start against UMass. The following week he led the Gamecocks to an upset victory over nationally ranked Tennessee and retained the starting quarterback position after that.[8][9] He finished the season completing 125 of 190 passes for 1,420 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions.[10]

2017

In 2017, Bentley started every game at quarterback for the Gamecocks, leading the team to a 9–4 record, including a come-from-behind victory over Michigan in the Outback Bowl on January 1, 2018. Bentley finished the season with 2,794 yards passing, throwing for 18 touchdowns and rushing for 6.[11]

2018

Bentley started the first four games for the Gamecocks in 2018, compiling a 2–2 record with seven touchdowns and six interceptions.[11] On October 6, 2018, Bentley missed his first start since his freshman year after sustaining a knee sprain in the previous week's loss to Kentucky.[12] Senior Michael Scarnecchia started in his place, leading the Gamecocks to a 37–35 win over Missouri. Bentley's roommate Parker White kicked the game-winning field goal with two seconds left.[13]

On November 24, 2018, Bentley set the South Carolina single-game passing record when he threw for 510 yards in a 56–35 loss to undefeated, second-ranked, and eventual National Champion Clemson at Death Valley.[14]

2019

Bentley was named starting quarterback for the 2019 season, but suffered a foot injury in the first game of the season, the 2019 Belk Kickoff Game against North Carolina. As a result, he was benched and freshman quarterback Ryan Hilinski was named the starting quarterback.[15] On September 8, 2019, it was reported that Bentley would have season-ending surgery on his foot.[16] At the end of the 2019 season, Bentley announced he would be transferring schools for his last year of eligibility.[17] On December 9, Bentley announced that he would be transferring to the University of Utah for the 2020 season.[1]

Utah

2020

Bentley was originally announced as the backup quarterback for the 2020 season, behind Texas transfer Cameron Rising, but after Rising was injured in the season opener against USC, Bentley was named the starter for the remaining games. Bentley completed 62 percent of his passes in his season with the Utes.

Following the season finale against Washington State, in which Bentley threw an interception in the second quarter and was benched in favor of walk-on Drew Lisk, Bentley, for the second time in his collegiate career, entered the NCAA Transfer Portal.[18]

South Alabama

2021

On January 7, 2021, Bentley announced that he would be playing his final season at the University of South Alabama.[19] He appeared in ten games for the Jaguars, throwing for 2,476 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions.

Statistics

Year Team Games Passing
G GS Cmp Att Pct Yards TD Int Rtg
2016 South Carolina 7 7 125 190 65.8 1,420 9 4 140.0
2017 South Carolina 13 13 245 394 62.4 2,794 18 12 130.7
2018 South Carolina 12 12 240 388 61.9 3,171 27 14 146.3
2019 South Carolina 1 1 16 30 53.3 142 1 2 90.8
2020 Utah 5 4 77 124 62.1 882 6 6 128.1
2021 South Alabama 10 10 212 303 70.0 2,476 17 8 151.8
Career 48 47 915 1429 64.0 10885 78 46 131.3

Coaching career

Florida Atlantic

In early 2022, it was announced that Bentley was joining the Florida Atlantic football program as a graduate assistant, working with head coach Willie Taggart.[20]

North Alabama

On December 8, 2022, he was announced as the quarterbacks coach at North Alabama.[21]

Personal life

His stepbrother Chas Dodd played quarterback at Rutgers and is now a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Miami.[22][23][24]

References

  1. ^ a b "South Carolina QB Jake Bentley transferring to Utah". ESPN. December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
  2. ^ Cloninger, David (June 16, 2018). "Meet the Bentleys: South Carolina Gamecocks' first family of football". The Post and Courier. Evening Post Industries. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  3. ^ Caraviello, David (October 24, 2016). "For quarterback Jake Bentley, an unusual route from high school to USC". The Post and Courier. Evening Post Industries. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  4. ^ Smith III, Willie T. (October 24, 2016). "The story behind Jake Bentley's early arrival at USC". The Greenville News. Gannett. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  5. ^ Morales, Antonio (July 16, 2018). "What JT Daniels can learn from other college QBs who arrived a year early". The Athletic. Retrieved March 9, 2023. And Jake Bentley reclassified into the 2016 recruiting class (from '17) and enrolled at South Carolina, where he became the starting quarterback midway through his freshman season.
  6. ^ Tyson, Derek (April 6, 2016). "High school junior QB Jake Bentley to join South Carolina for 2016 season". ESPN. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  7. ^ "Four-star QB Jake Bentley commits to South Carolina". Sports Illustrated. March 24, 2016. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  8. ^ Khan Jr., Sam (October 26, 2016). "Jake Bentley shows promise in South Carolina debut". ESPN. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  9. ^ Connolly, Matt (December 23, 2016). "In a rebuilding season, Jake Bentley restored hope to USC". The State. McClatchy. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  10. ^ McLemore, Dwayne (February 1, 2017). "Jake Bentley confident Gamecocks will take next steps in 2017". The State. McClatchy. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
  11. ^ a b "Jake Bentley Stats". ESPN. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  12. ^ Kendall, Josh (October 5, 2018). "Michael Scarnecchia expected to start at QB for Gamecocks vs. Missouri". The State. McClatchy. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  13. ^ Kendall, Josh (October 6, 2018). "Scarnecchia saves South Carolina from Mother Nature and Missouri". The State. McClatchy. Retrieved October 6, 2018.
  14. ^ Breiner, Ben (November 25, 2018). "Jake Bentley makes statement for the history books. Did it help big-game reputation?". The State. McClatchy. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
  15. ^ Del Bianco, John (September 2, 2019). "Hilinski to start for Gamecocks, Bentley out indefinitely". 247Sports.com. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  16. ^ Bilodeau, Kevin (September 8, 2019). "Jake Bentley to have surgery, miss the rest of the season". WCSC-TV. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  17. ^ Del Bianco, John (December 2, 2019). "Jake Bentley announces plans for 2020". 247Sports.com. Retrieved December 2, 2019.
  18. ^ Newman, Josh. "Utah football QB Jake Bentley, three others enter NCAA Transfer Portal". The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
  19. ^ Spencer, Adam. "Former South Carolina QB Jake Bentley announces transfer destination after leaving Utah". Saturday Down South. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  20. ^ "Jake Bentley announces start of his coaching career as a graduate assistant". Saturday Down South. January 20, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2022.
  21. ^ "Jake Bentley to coach quarterbacks at UNA" RoarLions.com. Retrieved 2022-12-08.
  22. ^ "Chas Dodd, Rutgers, Dual-Threat Quarterback". 247Sports.com. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  23. ^ Hayes, Matt (September 29, 2017). "South Carolina QB Jake Bentley Is Pioneering a New Fast Track to the NFL". Bleacher Report. Retrieved July 31, 2019.
  24. ^ "Bobby Bentley's son leaving Gamecocks strength staff, joining former USC assistant". News & Observer. May 15, 2019. Retrieved December 9, 2019.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jake Bentley.
South Carolina Gamecocks starting quarterbacks
Utah Utes starting quarterbacks
South Alabama Jaguars starting quarterbacks
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