Following his team’s win over Richmond in October, Towson head coach Rob Ambrose was asked of the logic behind calling two rush attempts for every pass attempt.  He replied with two succinct, adamant words:

“Straight.  Necessity.”

The necessity was born not from a lack of a competent passing attack, but from the need to keep the opposing quarterback on the sidelines.  This is indicative of the respect that all Colonial Athletic Association coaches have for the Spiders’ starting quarterback, Aaron Corp.

The redshirt senior from Villa Park, CA, did not follow a direct route to the University of Richmond.  After high school Corp enrolled at the University of Southern California, where he redshirted his freshman year in 2007.  After seeing limited action in 2008, he earned the starting position in 2009’s spring camp.

Current Richmond QB Aaron Corp during his time at USC. Corp transferred to Richmond before the 2010 season.

But Corp lost the starter’s spot following a leg injury during fall camp, and he again saw limited action that season as Matt Barkley’s backup.  Looking to transfer but having already sat out one season, he decided to target an FCS program to retain two years of eligibility.  (Transferring to another FBS program would have required sitting his fourth year, leaving him only one more season of intercollegiate play.)

So how did a California native end up across the country in the capitol of Virginia?

“I had heard about the CAA and the level of competition,” Corp told the Zone.  “I also wanted to be able to play right away.  I took a visit to campus and really liked it a lot.”  Although a knee injury would shorten his first season with the Spiders, he has blossomed into a top signal-caller in his senior campaign.

Richmond earned the CAA’s lone victory over an FBS win this season, a 23-21 win over Duke University.  Down 21-17 early in the fourth quarter, Corp led the offense to a touchdown drive that provided the deciding points.  “The win helped with the team’s confidence, but we already knew in camp that we had a good football team,” Corp said.

While the win over Duke propelled the Spiders to three out-of-conference wins, it has been a difficult season in-conference for the team.  Although Richmond is winless in its five conference games, it has been more than competitive; it lost to New Hampshire, Towson and Maine by a combined six points.  Corp has been a big part of the team’s competitiveness.

By completing 31 of 34 passes for 353 yards against Towson, he set an FCS record for completion percentage (91.2%) among quarterbacks with at least 30 attempts.  Ten of those completions went to Tre Gray, a standout receiver from Cuero, Texas.  The two seniors have been electric this year, as Gray has caught 70 passes for 916 yards and three touchdowns.  Entering Week 10’s action, only one other CAA receiver has more than 40 catches (Maine’s Maurice McDonald, with 53).

When asked how he and Gray continue to succeed despite opponents focusing on them, Corp effusively praised his receivers.  “Tre is extremely fast; if the defense plays him one-on-one, he gets out of his breaks really well and has great hands.”  Corp noted that receivers Stephen Barnette and Ben Edwards have also played at a high level, preventing opposing defenses from over-committing to cover Gray too frequently.

But it has been Corp’s own high level of play that has caught the attention of NFL scouts.  This season Corp has completed more than 65% of his passes for 1,980 yards and twelve touchdowns through eight games.  Along with the Towson game, the senior threw for more than 300 yards against New Hampshire and Maine.

Before the 2011 season, The Sporting News named him one of six NFL Draft sleepers in college football.  At 6-3 and 205 pounds, he has the ideal height, frame and arm strength to be a successful NFL quarterback.   The pressure of knowing scouts watch him at practice and in games has not affected his performance, however.  “During the week it crosses my mind,” Corp said.  “But once I’m in the game I don’t think about it at all.”

With his collegiate career winding down, Corp faces the possibility of missing more time after suffering a hip injury against UMass last weekend.  Richmond’s schedule includes consecutive road games at Old Dominion and Delaware, followed by the season finale at home against William and Mary.

But there should be more football for Corp beyond college.  Numerous scouts have observed him throughout the season, and while his team has come up just shy against the CAA, record-setting performances and 300-yard games speak for themselves.  One team will draft the California native and give him a shot in camp.

With a quarterback as skilled as Aaron Corp, some would even view it as a straight necessity.