Signal Archives
Before Georgia State
Behind Arbuckle’s collected and organized demeanor, lies a hardworking individual on and off the field. After losing his mother to cancer at a young age, Arbuckle remained focused. Former teammate and current senior tight end Keith Rucker Jr. is familiar with this vow.
“He is the most driven person I know,” Rucker said. “I know he lost his mother to cancer around age 12. He made promises to her that he still has in tact and is in very good shape to keep.”
The Camarillo, California native attended St. Bonaventure High School in Ventura, California. While not being recruited by many colleges out of high school, Arbuckle went on to play football at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, California. Spending two seasons at the junior college, Arbuckle began to set records and showcase his talent.
During his freshman season in 2012, Arbuckle totaled of 3,774 yards and 40 touchdowns. The break out talent continued on during his sophomore season, 2013. Throwing for 2,852 yards and 26 touchdowns, Arbuckle completed almost 60 percent of his passes. Increasing his accuracy and timing, Arbuckle led the Pacific Conference, in the California Community College Athletic Association, with 259.3 yards per game during his sophomore season.
While attending Pierce college, the team won two conference bowl games. Winning the Patriot Bowl in 2012 and the American Division Championship Bowl in 2013, Arbuckle portrayed his ability to turn a program around and lead.
“Nick is one of the nicest people I know,” Rucker said. “He cares more about others around him than he does himself.”
After totaling nearly 7,000 passing yards and 73 touchdowns, Arbuckle began to gain the attention of several colleges. Some include, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, New Mexico State, the University of Massachusetts and Virginia Tech.
Deciding to attend Georgia State was a similar move for Arbuckle. While Pierce College had been struggling to win games and increase their program status, Arbuckle enrolled and helped turn the program around. When recruited by Georgia State the football program struggled to win games. Going 0-12 in the 2013-14 season, the Panthers were in need of a leader. With hopes of helping turn two programs around, Arbuckle decided to create his own reputation at Georgia State.
“When I heard Nick Arbuckle was transferring to Georgia State, I did some research and I was excited,” Taylor Ray, a junior student, said. “I was eager to welcome a new leader that could help our team reach its full potential.”
While at Georgia State
“We put the ball in the hands of the best player in our conference, the best player on our offense and on our team,” Head Coach Trent Miles said in the bowl game post conference. That player is none other than senior quarterback Nick Arbuckle.
Arbuckle’s senior season was one for the Sun Belt Conference and Georgia State record books. He was named Sun Belt Conference Student-Athlete of the Year and was named first-team All-Sun Belt quarterback. He set the Sun Belt record for passing yards with 4,368 and for total offensive yards with 4,273. He also set Georgia State season records for completions, 307, touchdown passes, 28, and total offense as well.
Arbuckle came into the 2015 season wanting to cut down on his interceptions from last year as well as his footwork.
In an interview with former Signal writer Jeremy Johnson, Arbuckle said, “I had to focus mostly on not turning the ball over. So studied a lot on things that caused those turnovers. One of the biggest things I’ve worked on this whole off-season is getting my eyes and my feet to work together.”
All of those things that Arbuckle focused on during the offseason, paid off this season as he made improvement in both interceptions and completion percentage. Last year Arbuckle threw 17 interceptions and this year he cut it down 12, which is a big jump considering he also played in a postseason game. In terms of completion percentage he went from 60.4 percent to 63.2 percent and he set the Georgia State record for completions in a season with 307.
The final thing that Arbuckle worked on during the offseason wasn’t anything physical, rather it was mental. That mental thing he worked on was his leadership as this was his final season.
“Whenever you’re first into a program, it’s kind of feeling where even if guys think you do something you have to show them first,” Arbuckle said to Johnson. “You first have to lead by example before they start following everything you say.”
Arbuckle’s leadership showed itself this season when the Panthers had just lost their sixth game of the season to UL Lafayette and fell to 2-6 on the season. The Panthers would have to win their last four games in order to become bowl eligible. It was a mission that no one thought was possible, but somehow Arbuckle found a way to lead his to that bowl game.
The Panthers would win the next four straight games, including their final win against rival Georgia Southern on the road 34-7. During that four game winning streak, Arbuckle averaged 374 yards passing, completed 66 percent of his passes, ran for two touchdowns, and threw eight touchdowns while only throwing three interceptions.
Arbuckle finished the season leading the Sun Belt Conference in passing yards, total offense, and won three Sun Belt Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week awards. In addition, he was 6th in the NCAA in passing yards a game and 12th in the NCAA in total offensive yards. With all these accolades and leading Georgia State to its first ever winning season and bowl game appearance, there’s no one more deserving than Nick Arbuckle for the Panther of the Year Award.
Records this 2015 Season:
- Sun Belt Conference Student-Athlete of the Year
- First Team All-Sun Belt Quarterback
- Sun Belt Passing yard record: 4,368
- Sun Belt Total Offense record: 4,273
- Led Sun Belt in Passing yards per game: 336 (6th in NCAA)
- Led Sun Belt in Total Offense per game: 328.7 (12th in NCAA)
- 3 Sun Belt Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week Awards: Oct. 19, Nov. 16, Dec. 7
- GSU Season Record for Completions: 307
- GSU Season Record for Touchdown Passes: 28
- GSU Season Record for Total Offense and Passing Yard: 4,273 & 4,368
GSU Career Records:
- GSU Career Passing Leader: 7,651 yards
- GSU Career Passing Touchdown: 51
- GSU Total Touchdowns Recorded: 59
Arbuckle’s future
Nick Arbuckle will always be remembered in Georgia State’s history, especially as the quarterback that got Georgia State on the right track. He led the school to a successful season and their first bowl game. He leaves Georgia State with his name all over the record books; he owns multiple single-game and single season records. He also owns almost every Georgia State career record including touchdowns (51), total touchdowns responsible for (59), passing yards (7,651), and pass completions (566). Aside from the statistical brilliance, the accomplishments and accolades Arbuckle achieved will not be forgotten either. He brought home Georgia State’s first Sun Belt Conference Student-Athlete of the Year award for football and was named a First Team All-Sun Belt quarterback. His absence will be tough to replace, but his legacy will be forever engraved in school history.
Arbuckle is preparing to play professional football. CBS Sports has him ranked as the No. 33 quarterback in this year’s NFL Draft. Pro Football Focus projected Arbuckle to go undrafted, but sign to a team as a free agent because he always leaves his scouts impressed. During an interview with Primetime Sportz TV, Arbuckle said he has been training in New Jersey with former Miami Dolphins quarterback Jay Fielder.
“He did a lot to help me get comfortable under the center, because I played so much from the shotgun here (Georgia State),” he said.
Football scout and Gridiron Showcase personnel David West tweeted that Arbuckle is a sleeper in the draft as a proven leader, a proven winner and a productive quarterback.
As for his impact on the Georgia State program, the team has now been honored at the state capital, welcomed a transfer quarterback from the 2015 ranked No. 3 Utah Utes and have announced a future home-and-home series with the ACC and SEC schools the University of North Carolina and Vanderbilt University since the AutoNation Cure Bowl on Dec. 19.
As the team now prepares to enter into a new era with the new stadium at Turner Field and new silver helmets, Arbuckle lifted the expectations for the program his two seasons at the helm. A theme of spring practice interviews have been the team’s overall improved confidence from previous seasons, perhaps an atmosphere set by the team’s former leader in Arbuckle.
