Patience is definitely a virtue. Richmond's Sean Gustus is living proof. After hanging around for three years and playing wherever he was needed, Gustus finally has earned his chance to start at quarterback for the Spiders.
Gustus, a redshirt junior from football powerhouse DeMatha High in Maryland, is a jack-of-all-trades. The NFL scouting combine selected Gustus as one of the top-25 quarterbacks in the Southeast Region coming out of high school. Since joining Richmond, he has played at quarterback, running back, defensive back and even as a punt returner.
Gustus led the team in punt returns last season, racking up 325 all-purpose yards while backing up senior quarterback Jimmie Miles. But with Miles graduated, Gustus is finally back at his natural position.
"It's quite a transition, but I learned a lot being the No. 2 quarterback," Gustus said. "Jimmie was a great quarterback, and I learned a lot more than people think, being off the field."
Gustus certainly has some large shoes to fill. Miles threw every pass for the Spiders last season and accounted for 2,610 of Richmond's 4,002 yards of total offense. Gustus is expected to power Richmond's offense to its third consecutive season of 4,000 yards. He made the first step last Saturday in a 10-7 victory over Bucknell.
Though he only threw for 28 yards, Gustus ran for 88 yards, including a 58-yard run for Richmond's only touchdown.
His athletic ability and determination during the offseason impressed his teammates and earned their respect.
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The Spiders hope Gustus can direct them to a winning season. Richmond finished a disappointing 5-6 last season, just one year after winning the Atlantic-10 Conference title. Besides Miles, the Spiders also lost their starting tight end and top-two receivers to graduation. However, tailback TyRonne Turner remains a dangerous component of the Spiders option offense.
Gustus, a sports science major and business minor, is not looking for this season to be a rebuilding one. He believes that with their strong defense to keep them in games, the Spiders can climb back to the top of the A-10.
Said Gustus: "I'm more excited [about the season] than anything else. I think the offense and also the defensive players have confidence in me to be able to step up and make plays"
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