On QB's, Defense and Recruiting
A Happy Humpday to you all in Coug Nation. Some good things surfacing this week, so let's get to it.
First, Cougfan has a new write-up on the QB situation for this fall, in a continuing series of "Good, Bad and Questions" for WSU in a position-by-position analysis. The story does a good job explaining the positives of Tuel, but it also doesn't hold back on where Tuel needs to get better:
The Good
Tuel has a multi-faceted skills set – accuracy, mobility, the ability to read defenses and beyond. And he has really, really great feet. For 2010, Tuel is also a year older, a year wiser and battle tested.
And the other side?:
The Bad
Tuel gave up on the o-line protection too early as the season went on. It’s hard to blame him, the ‘09 line at times resembled a greased-up turnstile. Nevertheless, the bottom line remains, his eye level shifted down too early, too often -- and when a QB is looking at the oncoming pressure instead of downfield, the only thing that likely ensures is he’ll get rocked.
Hard to disagree with any of it, really. Tuel CAN in fact move, and while not in the same class as Montlake's #10, still he has shown the ability to roll away from pressure. There is Youtube evidence going back to high school that shows he has excellent feet where he can get away when it looks kinda/sorta bleak.
That is, as long as the pressure is somewhat reasonable?? Anyone who saw that ASU debacle last year can tell you that Tuel had like, what, "one Mississippi" as a count before he had to get the hell outta Dodge!? While Cougfan points out in the "bad" portion that Tuel's eye level shifted down too early, too often, can you really blame him when said offensive line resembled that greased-up turnstile??
Eye level is a big deal when people analyze QB's. Does the QB stop looking down the field, instead focusing on the oncoming pass rush? It's not an easy thing to do when you have a 280-lb defensive end bearing down on you from the outside, with very little help by the offensive tackle to impede the opposing force! But the great ones, somehow they are able to deal with it. They used to talk about how John Elway had some ultra-sixth-sense or something, where he could literally "feel" the pass rush coming without directly looking at it.
As a Seahawks fan back in the day, I can still see in my mind's eye countless times where you swore the Hawks were going to register a sack on #7, but at the last moment he would either get rid of the ball or roll away from the pressure. It was uncanny. And they say the same thing about Brett Favre, where they just seem to have that ability to get rid of the ball at the right moment, right before they are crushed.
ESPN's Todd McShay talked about things scouts and executives look for in analyzing Quarterbacks for the next level. If you don't want to click over to the article, here's the six key things they are on the lookout for, after the read more:
ESPN's Todd McShay talked about things scouts and executives look for in analyzing Quarterbacks for the next level. If you don't want to click over to the article, here's the six key things they are on the lookout for, after the read more:
1) Presence/Leadership - This category represents a player's intangibles at the position. In a nutshell, it's a measure of how a quarterback competes, leads and manages a game. Three of the best ways to judge: How does he perform in the clutch? Does he react well to adversity? And do his teammates respond to his leadership?
2) Judgement/Game Management - A series of critical judgments must be made by a quarterback on every pass play. It begins with pre-snap reads, which include blitz pickups, coverage recognition and audible possibilities at the line of scrimmage. It extends to reading coverage on the pass drop, avoiding throws into double coverage and delivering the ball to the open receiver. Finally, a quarterback must be able to decide whether to throw the ball away, tuck and run or take a sack.
3) Accuracy - Accuracy is simply defined as a quarterback's ability to place the ball on target and hit his receiver in stride. The most accurate quarterbacks see passing windows develop quicker than most. They are able to hit the spot where a pass-catcher will be, even before the receiver makes his final cut. They demonstrate excellent touch and timing, which requires the ability to change velocities and throw catchable passes on all routes.
4) Release - A quarterback's release is more about mechanics than arm velocity. How quickly can the passer get the ball out of his hand from the launch point? He must keep the ball up when dropping and surveying the field, then release the ball from a high point. An extended wind-up shouldn't be necessary to increase velocity. And dropping the ball or tapping it prior to release are no-nos -- they're conspicuous tells for defenders to exploit.
5) Velocity - Arm strength and velocity are related terms, though not interchangeable. A tight spiral and good ball revolutions influence velocity. Does a passer show the ability to fit the ball into tight spots downfield? Can he throw the deep sideline route and deep go route with ease? Can he drive a ball through the wind? Does his deep ball sail? (Ideally, no.) Can he put zip on the ball even when throwing across his body or off his back foot?
6) Mobility - Mobility isn't defined only by speed. Good agility and presence in the pocket are valuable tools. The ability to consistently sidestep the pass rush and get out of trouble is at least as important as a stopwatch time. Does a quarterback have the change-of-direction skills to avoid multiple pass rushers? Speed certainly means something, but initial burst is more important. Ideally, a quarterback can run the 40-yard dash within 4.4-4.6 seconds and the short-shuttle run in under 4.2. Anything over 4.90 in the 40 or 4.40 in the short shuttle is prohibitive.
I know, I know.....I think we can all agree that it's EARLY to analyze Tuel! The sample size is literally one half of one season, as a true frosh thrown to the wolves behind a patchwork offensive line. One can look at the tough outing vs. ASU and realize how far Tuel has to go. But you could also look at the Cal game, where he threw for a Bledsoe-like 354 yards and completing nearly 67% of his throws that day to imagine the upside that this kid brings to the position. But this year is really going to tell the story. This summer, Tuel attended the Manning Passing Academy, where he worked out with Peyton, Eli and some of the top QB's in the country. And he's reportedly bulked up, up to about 214 on his 6-3 frame. This year, he should have a much more complete line to give him the protection he needs. This year, he should have a decent, healthy set of skill positions to help take the heat off his back. Remember, Tuel never took a snap with James Montgomery in the backfield, the same Montgomery who happened to be leading the Pac-10 in rushing before he went down after a couple of games. That should (hopefully) change this fall!
Meanwhile, the Evergreen had a decent write-up on the Cougar D for 2010, and why there are reasons for optimism. Actually, three big reasons:
First, the 2009 unit featured a ton of youngsters who gained valuable experience and now will be a year older, stronger and smarter. Second, there will be a huge infusion of speed and talent that was sitting on the sidelines this year in the form of redshirting freshmen. And third, a load of WSU defenders had their 2009 seasons undone in whole or part by injury, and they look to be back at full speed in 2010.
I would agree on the first and third items, and to an extent, the second item. But I don't think they had the Palouse Posse sitting on the bench last year. Yes, without a doubt there will be more speed in the likes of Nolan Washington, Anthony Carpenter, Jamal Atofau, Casey Locker in the secondary, and Sekope Kaufusi should bring it with his hand down at defensive end. And a return to health by Louis Bland should give the linebackers better overall quickness. But it's important to remember that while the speed and talent will be better, it's still YOUNG, INEXPERIENCED new faces that will be counted on this fall. And we should all know that with youth and inexperience comes mistakes. It is just the way of things, and they have to be allowed to get out there and figure it out, you know what I mean? It's exciting to think about how much better they could be, but there could be some head-scratching moments along the way, that's all.
Next, per the Seattle Times, a WSU study finds that jocks are smart. In fact:
Varsity athletes were more than twice as likely as non-athletes to graduate within five or six years.
Cool. And under Paul Wulff, I would expect that to go up even more going forward. The football team has been recording some of the highest cumulative GPA's in program history under Wulff, so that should be even better as things roll on.
2) Judgement/Game Management - A series of critical judgments must be made by a quarterback on every pass play. It begins with pre-snap reads, which include blitz pickups, coverage recognition and audible possibilities at the line of scrimmage. It extends to reading coverage on the pass drop, avoiding throws into double coverage and delivering the ball to the open receiver. Finally, a quarterback must be able to decide whether to throw the ball away, tuck and run or take a sack.
3) Accuracy - Accuracy is simply defined as a quarterback's ability to place the ball on target and hit his receiver in stride. The most accurate quarterbacks see passing windows develop quicker than most. They are able to hit the spot where a pass-catcher will be, even before the receiver makes his final cut. They demonstrate excellent touch and timing, which requires the ability to change velocities and throw catchable passes on all routes.
4) Release - A quarterback's release is more about mechanics than arm velocity. How quickly can the passer get the ball out of his hand from the launch point? He must keep the ball up when dropping and surveying the field, then release the ball from a high point. An extended wind-up shouldn't be necessary to increase velocity. And dropping the ball or tapping it prior to release are no-nos -- they're conspicuous tells for defenders to exploit.
5) Velocity - Arm strength and velocity are related terms, though not interchangeable. A tight spiral and good ball revolutions influence velocity. Does a passer show the ability to fit the ball into tight spots downfield? Can he throw the deep sideline route and deep go route with ease? Can he drive a ball through the wind? Does his deep ball sail? (Ideally, no.) Can he put zip on the ball even when throwing across his body or off his back foot?
6) Mobility - Mobility isn't defined only by speed. Good agility and presence in the pocket are valuable tools. The ability to consistently sidestep the pass rush and get out of trouble is at least as important as a stopwatch time. Does a quarterback have the change-of-direction skills to avoid multiple pass rushers? Speed certainly means something, but initial burst is more important. Ideally, a quarterback can run the 40-yard dash within 4.4-4.6 seconds and the short-shuttle run in under 4.2. Anything over 4.90 in the 40 or 4.40 in the short shuttle is prohibitive.
I know, I know.....I think we can all agree that it's EARLY to analyze Tuel! The sample size is literally one half of one season, as a true frosh thrown to the wolves behind a patchwork offensive line. One can look at the tough outing vs. ASU and realize how far Tuel has to go. But you could also look at the Cal game, where he threw for a Bledsoe-like 354 yards and completing nearly 67% of his throws that day to imagine the upside that this kid brings to the position. But this year is really going to tell the story. This summer, Tuel attended the Manning Passing Academy, where he worked out with Peyton, Eli and some of the top QB's in the country. And he's reportedly bulked up, up to about 214 on his 6-3 frame. This year, he should have a much more complete line to give him the protection he needs. This year, he should have a decent, healthy set of skill positions to help take the heat off his back. Remember, Tuel never took a snap with James Montgomery in the backfield, the same Montgomery who happened to be leading the Pac-10 in rushing before he went down after a couple of games. That should (hopefully) change this fall!
Meanwhile, the Evergreen had a decent write-up on the Cougar D for 2010, and why there are reasons for optimism. Actually, three big reasons:
First, the 2009 unit featured a ton of youngsters who gained valuable experience and now will be a year older, stronger and smarter. Second, there will be a huge infusion of speed and talent that was sitting on the sidelines this year in the form of redshirting freshmen. And third, a load of WSU defenders had their 2009 seasons undone in whole or part by injury, and they look to be back at full speed in 2010.
I would agree on the first and third items, and to an extent, the second item. But I don't think they had the Palouse Posse sitting on the bench last year. Yes, without a doubt there will be more speed in the likes of Nolan Washington, Anthony Carpenter, Jamal Atofau, Casey Locker in the secondary, and Sekope Kaufusi should bring it with his hand down at defensive end. And a return to health by Louis Bland should give the linebackers better overall quickness. But it's important to remember that while the speed and talent will be better, it's still YOUNG, INEXPERIENCED new faces that will be counted on this fall. And we should all know that with youth and inexperience comes mistakes. It is just the way of things, and they have to be allowed to get out there and figure it out, you know what I mean? It's exciting to think about how much better they could be, but there could be some head-scratching moments along the way, that's all.
Next, per the Seattle Times, a WSU study finds that jocks are smart. In fact:
Varsity athletes were more than twice as likely as non-athletes to graduate within five or six years.
Cool. And under Paul Wulff, I would expect that to go up even more going forward. The football team has been recording some of the highest cumulative GPA's in program history under Wulff, so that should be even better as things roll on.
Next, Cougfan has a photo gallery of the newest Coug QB recruit, Cody Clements. Check it out here.
And finally, speaking of recruiting, Ted Miller runs down the class of 2007 for Pac-10 schools, a class that would be your upcoming 2010 true seniors. WSU's class was last in the conference in '07, coming in at #54. Per the article:
Washington State
Class: 26
ESPNU top 150 players: 0
How many are expected to start in 2010: Five (CB Aire Justin, WR Daniel Blackledge, C Andrew Roxas, OG B.J. Guerra, SS Chima Nwachukwu)
Misses: WR Deon Ford
Verdict: Not much should be expected from Bill Doba's final recruiting class, and this one doesn't deliver much sizzle. A couple of solid hits, though, including a couple of departed JC transfers.
That's it for now. Enjoy your Humpday, and as always, GO COUGS!
