With the 2025 college football season rapidly approaching, Eastern Michigan University enters the upcoming campaign with some uncertainty regarding who will line up under center for the squad this year.
Last year, senior transfer Cole Snyder started all 12 games for the team, posting 2,684 yards, 15 touchdowns, nine interceptions, and an additional 323 yards on the ground along with four scores.
With Snyder now aiming to continue his pro football career in the Canadian Football League, the Eagles now aim to find his successor heading into 2025. Five players currently on the depth chart are fighting for the starting role.
Here’s a look at each candidate and what he will bring to the table.
Noah Kim (No. 13) | Graduate transfer from Michigan State, Coastal Carolina
Probably the most recognizable name on the list, Kim was the starting quarterback for Michigan State University for the first five games of the 2023 season. He posted 1,090 yards, six touchdowns, and six interceptions.
However, an injury sidelined him for the remainder of the campaign, and at season’s end, Kim entered the transfer portal.
Kim eventually found a home at Coastal Carolina for the 2024 campaign, playing in seven games for the squad and posting 333 yards plus four touchdown passes before hitting the portal once more at season’s end.
The sixth-year senior now finds himself at EMU for the final year of his collegiate career as the projected starter, aiming to follow a similar trajectory to that of his predecessor Cole Snyder by taking command of the team from Week 1 and never looking back.
Cameron Edge (No. 15) | Junior, transfer from Maryland
A former four-star recruit and the 11th ranked quarterback in his graduating class, Edge spent the past three seasons working his way up the depth chart at the University of Maryland before deciding to bring his talents to Eastern Michigan this winter.
Edge played in a combined four games for the Terrapins over the past two seasons. He posted a total of 167 yards, two passing touchdowns and one interception before entering the portal midway through the 2024 season, according to 247 Sports.
However, the redshirt junior may be a diamond in the rough. Having never received a true chance to start at the power five level, the former three-sport high school star is now seeking to attain that opportunity in the Mid-American Conference and prove his esteemed pedigree coming out of high school was not a fluke.
According to Ourlads, Edge currently sits as the projected second string quarterback on the depth chart as it stands behind Noah Kim.
Jeremiah Salem (No. 10) | Senior
Having originally walked on for the Eagles in 2022, Salem earned a full scholarship for the team at the end of last year’s spring semester after being named the scout team player of the year for the program the season prior.
Salem played sparingly as a backup quarterback last campaign but did tie the longest pass in team history with an 89-yard touchdown thrown against Saint Francis in his limited action. That was his lone score of the season, with the Tennessee native throwing for 126 yards, the aforementioned touchdown, and an interception in 2024.
While Salem seems to be a long shot for the starting job and is currently the projected third-string quarterback according to Ourlads, he has been with the program the longest of any quarterback on the roster and likely knows the offense better than anyone.
Look out for him to secure game action in potential mop-up duty or take the starting quarterback's place in case of an in-game injury this season.
Jace Stuckey (No. 12) | Redshirt freshman
A three-star prospect from Indiana, Stuckey practiced with the team throughout the 2024 season but did not see any in-game action.
Given his age and inexperience, it is unlikely that the redshirt freshman will step onto the field at any point this season. However, he is a name to keep an eye on as he continues to develop and learn behind the scenes.
Bryce Button | Freshman
Hailing from Bowling Green, Kentucky, Button enrolls as a three-star prospect according to 247 Sports and a two-star prospect according to Rivals.
The true freshman will likely sit, practice and learn for the season, similar to what Jace Stuckey did last year. However, he will also be a player to watch out for during the 2026 campaign and beyond.
EMU will open the football season on August 30, 2025, on the road against Texas State University at 8 p.m. Viewers can stream the game live on ESPN+.
