'He's hard to have on the bench': Why QB Zeon Chriss is ready to lead Louisiana football
Coming out of spring practice back in April, Zeon Chriss was well on his way to becoming Louisiana football’s starting quarterback in coach Michael Desormeaux’s mind.
The redshirt freshman had literally just taken every rep for all 15 practices at the position as both Ben Wooldridge and Chandler Fields both missed the entire spring recovering from injuries.
Both Fields and Wooldridge returned to the field in some capacity in the summer and Chriss gradually faded on the depth chart, as low as the No. 3 quarterback spot.
“Do you know how hard that is?” Desormeaux said of Chriss. “You take every rep in the spring, you get to fall camp and rotating with the 1’s, 2’s and 3’s. And then you’re on the 3’s field. That’s hard, mentally. Everyone struggles with that.
“We told him you have to compete through it. And he did. Everyday, he made his reps count and prepared himself for this opportunity.”
Following another significant injury to Wooldridge, who earned the starting role before preseason practice, on the opening series at UAB last weekend, Chriss is projected to earn his first collegiate start for the Ragin’ Cajuns (1-0) against Buffalo (0-3) at Cajun Field Saturday night (6:30 p.m., ESPN+).
Approaching something he’s never done before? Landry Williams, Chriss’ high school coach at Madison Prep, has seen first-hand how the gifted athlete handles new challenges.
How Louisiana football QB Zeon Chriss 'stays ready'
“He’s a humble warrior. He works his tail off. He’s a throwback, hard-working kid,” Williams said. “(Chriss’ senior year in 2019), I remember him telling me he was going to throw the javelin and that he was going to win state. He had never thrown the javelin before.
“He came out and won state by the end of the year.”
Williams tries telling Chriss what he does in unnatural. To Chriss though, it begins and ends with the work.
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His father, Kerry Gremillion, had his son pulling tires through the neighborhood at a young age, instilling a yeoman’s work ethic in Chriss early.
“Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready, that’s what I always tell him,” Gremillion said. “When your time comes, it’s your time.
“Growing up, the thing I instilled in him was never get too high, never get too low. Because if you get too low, it’s hard to pick yourself back up and if you’re too high, the fall is too great. From a young kid, he was just focused on the task at hand and getting it done. And as he got older and become the young man he is, that’s what he does.”
Chriss reminds Michael Desormeaux of Levi Lewis
Despite lighting up UAB’s defense for 174 passing yards, one touchdown along with 103 yards rushing with a long, 80-yard TD run, there wasn’t much change in demeanor for Chriss.
That’s just who he is.
“I try to tell Zeon, ‘It’s OK to smile,’” Williams said.
The lack of emotional release, however, has helped Chriss navigate the ebbs and flows of his career at Louisiana so far.
To Desormeaux, his QB reminds him of UL’s most prolific guy who played the position for the Cajuns of late.
“He’s reminded me of Levi (Lewis) so much from the time that he’s got here with his maturity and demeanor. He’s witty, smart but he’s quiet and kind of keeps to himself. He’s a little reserved. But he’s had that same feel,” Desormeaux said.
“No one was shocked he played well. He worked hard to be ready when his number was called.”
Chriss can do both well, pass and run. The initial plan this season was to use him within a wildcat package, designed the showoff his wheels while defenses still have to respect his throwing ability.
“We did some things that fit in his wheelhouse. Zeon is a quarterback – I hope everyone can see that after the way he threw it. He’s not just a guy back there that’s a wildcat runner,” Desormeaux said.
“Zeon can run the whole offense. He’s not a runner. He’s a quarterback, first and foremost. We’re going to let him operate that way.”
'Hard to have him on the bench'
Gremillion’s message will be succinct and clear to his son prior to his first college start Saturday. It’s really more an echo for Chriss, who’s put in years of work to reach the opportunity.
“Don’t let the moment get too big. You don’t have to worry about any mistake or not trying to make a play. Just play your game,” Gremillion said. “If you do everything right, play like you practice and prepared, then it’s going to happen. You prepped all week.
“You’re here.”
If a play needs to be made, Williams’ money is riding on Chriss. He saw it time and time again with the two winning a state championship together in 2020.
His work ethic has always been the separator while the stoic demeanor and laser-focus has kept him on track. And that path has led him to Saturday night.
“He puts so much pressure on a coach, with a talent like that you’ve got to find the things he can do well. He can take off running, throw it a country mile,” Williams said. “He puts pressure on your coaching staff to open that playbook up so he can push the program.
“In the heat of battle, he’s a hard guy to have on the bench.”
Cory Diaz covers the LSU Tigers and Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his Tigers and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ByCoryDiaz. Got questions regarding LSU/UL athletics? Send them to Cory Diaz at bdiaz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Louisiana football QB Zeon Chriss 'ready' to lead Cajuns. Here's why.
