For the second year in a row with the help of Yoruba Harrison and Level 3 Sports, Baton Rouge quarterback legends Marcus Randall and Ted White put on the QBU Passing Academy Football Camp.
“This is something that we have always wanted to put on for years. Last year, our schedules aligned along with Yoruba’s from Level 3 Sports. We connected and made it happen. We knew that we had to make it happen because not only are we from the same area, but we are from the same high school. We wanted to go back to the same area, the same environment that we learned how to play and come back and teach the kids that grow up in the same area what we know.”
Former LSU QB and current Woodlawn head coach Marcus Randall
“We were talking about it earlier. As we were young guys that were playing the game of football that we loved to play, Marcus and Eric’s dad really paved the way for all of us to play. We played for the Baton Rouge Bandits and that experience of playing for the Baton Rouge Bandits really help us play for Glen Oaks. Eric went to Southern, I went to Howard, and Marcus went to LSU, but we all played the quarterback position. We had one thing not just around the school, but around the community, and that was we had love for each other. No matter where we were, we always checked on each other and we always had a wealth of information from where we played at, and that information we got from our prospective schools, we were able to bring it back.”
Former Howard QB and current Houston Texans QB Coach Ted White
After hosting it the first year at Woodlawn High School, the two former Glen Oaks signal callers decided to host the event back where their careers got started in 2023.
“It’s awesome. There are so many memories that come to my mind and so many hours put in to win football games. We are just giving kids the same opportunity. We had people that cared about us and there were a lot of people that helped us be the men that we are today. What we are trying to do is to help the guys get the same opportunity that we had in going to college and getting them the opportunity to help take care of their families.”
Former Howard QB and current Houston Texans QB Coach Ted White
“It’s a great feeling. This year, they just redid our whole school, field, and the stadium is back up and rolling. When me and Ted played, we didn’t play our home games here. We played our home games at Memorial Stadium. We wish we could have played here, but now that the field is up and running, it was just a blessing to have the event back here.”
Former LSU QB and current Woodlawn head coach Marcus Randall
As mentioned prior, Glen Oaks produced a great run of quarterbacks that included Eric Randall, who won a HBCU National Championship at Southern, his brother Marcus Randall, who played quarterback at LSU and is known for throwing the Bluegrass Miracle, and finally, Ted White, who played quarterback at Howard, but also played in the NFL, NFL Europe, and Canadian Football League. Louisiana has produced a lot of talent to the next level, but does not get credit enough for producing great talent at the quarterback position.
Now, Ted White, who is now the Houston Texans’ quarterback coach, and Marcus Randall, who is now the head coach at Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, want to change that. Last year’s inaugural QBU camp proved to be a great event as many Baton Rouge area quarterbacks got to learn under the Randalls and under White. Just moving ahead a year later, two of those quarterbacks that participated in the camp signed with DI schools including Rickie Collins, who signed with LSU, and D’Wanye Winfield, who signed with UL. Lately, Randall and White are starting to help develop the quarterback position even more in the Baton Rouge area.
“That was one of the reasons why I started the Randall Passing Academy. That was all I can hear that they are a lot of athletes from Louisiana, but no quarterbacks so I realized that we didn’t have 7 on 7s and the passing academies like Texas and California had. These kids being able to get taught these things will allow them not to get behind and that this was something that we wanted to do. With this camp and the other things that we want to do, this will allow the players to keep moving forward at the position.”
Former LSU QB and current Woodlawn head coach Marcus Randall
“I am a Louisiana guy. I have been fortunate enough to coach in different states. I love the Louisiana grit. I love the Louisiana grind. I know the foundation that Marcus, Eric, Coach Sid Edwards, Coach David Brewerton all those guys laid. When you coach in Louisiana, you are not going to be paid a whole bunch of money, but you got to love the game. You got to make sure to build a foundation that is sustainable for years. For example, Woodlawn last year had Rickie Collins and he went to our camp and did an excellent job. Now, he is at LSU. Marcus has another quarterback coming out this year that is not going to miss a beat. Just the foundation that you lay during that time while you are at the school and obviously for the kids that come to this camp, it is just going to make you better.”
Former Howard QB and current Houston Texans QB Coach Ted White
It was not all about the quarterbacks as wide receivers and defensive backs also got a chance to get a lot of reps and also get a lot of learning from some of the local Baton Rouge coaches. All in all, it was a great event and a significant homecoming for a couple of Glen Oaks legends that are looking forward to grow this event for years to come.
Check out all the photos from the QBU Passing Academy Football Camp taken by Andy Bryson and Will Strother!
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