The Bulldog backfield will help move the sticks this year as Butler returns quarterback Reagan Andrew to the huddle. The two-time PFL Offensive Player of the Week was a dual threat for BU last year, throwing for 1,717 yards and rushing for 566. At running back, Griffin Caldwell and Ershod Jasey II have entered camp as upperclassmen looking to get more snaps in 2025.
 
Andrew has the most experience under center, yet last year he split time at the position with Nick Howard. It didn't take long for Andrew to make a significant impact. He passed for three touchdowns against Upper Iowa in the season opener while adding one rushing TD.
 
His second four-touchdown game came against Morehead State. Andrew connected on 11 of his 12 pass attempts to throw for 172 yards. He threw two touchdowns and rushed for two. Andrew completed a season-high 22 passes against a tough Drake defense and ended the 2024 campaign with three touchdown passes against Presbyterian.
 
"As a group, I think we have done a good job of building on our progress from this spring," Quarterback Coach Eddie Schott stated. "The quarterbacks have a better understanding of what we are trying to do in our offense, and they are getting more comfortable with some new terminology."
 
Landon Hochstein has put himself in position to be the backup quarterback for the Bulldogs. A position that both Jarrin Alley and Gabe Passini will push for in camp. Hochstein completed six of his seven pass attempts a year ago in a reserve role. He passed for 50 yards and rushed for 31.
 
"There is great competition within our room right now," Schott added. "A lot of guys are getting a lot of reps, and I am seeing improvements every day. We still have a long way to go, but I like the leadership that I am seeing out of the QB room. We have to keep building on that and take it to the next level."
 
The fifth member of this group is freshman Tanner Huckfelt. He passed for 4,526 yards and 52 touchdowns at Concordia Lutheran coming out of Magnolia, Texas.
 
"Overall, I like where we are at," Schott said. "The competition is real every day from the meeting room, to position drills, and of course against our defense. There are a lot of things that we can clean up, but I like the direction we are heading." 
 
When these quarterbacks are not looking downfield, they will be handing the ball off to a talented group of running backs. Ershod Jasey II and Griffin Caldwell are the top returners to the group. Caldwell carried the ball 44 times in 2024, gaining 330 yards. Jasey II appeared in eight games, found the end zone once, and ended the year with 176 yards.
 
Jerel Rhodes II showcased his skills in the Virginia Lynchburg game. He took seven hand-offs, which resulted in 35 yards and a touchdown in his BU debut. Zac Willingham-Davis is yet another name in the mix for more action. Willingham-Davis was sidelined last year after transferring in from SIU. He ran for 2,387 yards and 31 touchdowns in his prep career at Liberty North.
 
The two newcomers in the running back room are Keaton Jones and Michael Dellumo. Jones is from nearby Pendleton Heights High School. While at PHHS, Jones rushed for 1,563 yards and 19 touchdowns. He was a two-year starter that averaged 6.7 yards per rush. Dellumo hails from Park Ridge, Illinois. He was a three-year starter at Maine South rushing for 1,878 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior.
 
Butler will face Northern Iowa in Week 1 of the regular season. Kick-off at the UNI-Dome is set for 2 p.m. ET (1 p.m. CT). The BU home opener will follow on Sept. 6 with Truman State visiting the Bud and Jackie Sellick Bowl for a 1 p.m. kick.