Don't Bet Against Quinn

[WPB Dawg Fan]

OK, so this guy is a little overboard with the Manning comparisons....but the rest of what he says about Quinns characteristics and past is pretty good stuff:

 

The Cleveland Browns: Do Not Bet Against Brady Quinn

 

by Eric Murtaugh (Contributor)

 

One of the biggest question marks going into the 2009 NFL season revolves around who will become the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. In other words, we will soon find out how Brady Quinn measures up in the world's best football league and the questions and rumors will slowly begin to fade away.

 

There are opinion makers calling Brady Quinn the next Joey Harrington, Tim Couch, or Chris Simms, while others still liken him to Hall of Famer Joe Montana. At this point, there seems to be much more of the former opinion. Yet, however bad or good you think Brady Quinn may be, I tell you this: Do not bet against Brady Quinn.

 

Quinn, with minimal game experience, is as ready as any young quarterback to take the reins of his team and make things happen on the field. In fact, he was as ready as anyone coming out of college over two years ago and although he is still lacking that crucial game experience, he is only getting smarter, stronger, and better. Odds are as you sit here reading this Quinn is either throwing a football, working out in a gym, or studying the Brown's playbook.

 

Which leads me to a comparison which, to some may seem outlandish or even crazy, but one that I believe is true: Brady Quinn reminds me of Peyton Manning.

 

Quite clearly Peyton Manning is one heck of a quarterback, a shoe in for the hall of fame, and probably the best signal caller of his generation. I'm not making the case that Quinn will ever rise to the level of Manning, but there are many similarities between the two players.

 

Quinn is similar to Manning in that he has an extremely high football I.Q. and has the computer—like ability to scan the field for open receivers. Also, like Manning, Brady Quinn shows excellent pocket—presence and an insatiable appetite for practice and film study.

 

While Brady Quinn may not have the arm of Manning, he is still very capable of making every throw on the football field. Plus, Quinn is quicker and able to make plays with his feet while being perhaps the strongest quarterback in the NFL. The comparisons between Manning and Quinn are not as far—fetched as you may believe.

 

It has been stated that Quinn played against inferior opponents in college, and on the flip side, that his tutelage under Charlie Weis' pro—style offense makes his transition to the NFL an easy one. People just can't seem to agree on anything regarding Quinn!

 

While playing at Notre Dame under Weis' system will help Quinn in the coming months and years, he still needs to adjust to the ultra—high level of NFL defenses. This much is true, but don't expect him to crumble under the pressure because he's never seen a good defense before.

 

As far as Quinn playing against inferior opponents in college, that accusation doesn't hold up when put to the test. Of course Quinn didn't have to play against the vaunted SEC defenses, but let's not pretend that every SEC defense is dominant or even very good, and that SEC teams don't play cupcake teams either.

 

So while Quinn played against weak opponents in college, he also played against some very good defenses as well. As it is, he still performed at a very high level even when his Notre Dame teams were outmatched.

 

From 2004 to 2006 Notre Dame lost 12 games while Brady Quinn was under center for the Fighting Irish. Given how he has been portrayed as the guy who couldn't win the big game (remind you of a certain player with a blue #18 on his jersey?) you would think Brady Quinn wouldn't have played very well in these losses.

 

But over these 12 losses Quinn amassed the following statistics:

 

261 for 478 (54.6 %), 3,199 yards, 23 TD—12 INT

 

While certainly not all—world numbers, those are pretty good stats for games in which Quinn's team never won. Also, keep in mind the Irish defense gave up over 35 points per game in these losses.

 

To look at it another way, let's pretend these stats were part of a winless 0—16 NFL season like the one the Detroit Lions just experienced:

 

348 for 637 (54.6%), 4,265 yards, 31 TD—16 INT

 

Now, if Daunte Culpepper put up those numbers last year with the Lions and his team never won a game, would you be likely to blame him? You would probably deduce that his team didn't have much of a running game and that his defense was not very good, but you wouldn't think he was the problem.

 

Similarly, let's take a look at Quinn's numbers against Southern California in Notre Dame's three losses:

 

56 for 109 (51.3%) 643 yards, 5 TD—1 INT

 

Once again, not mind boggling numbers, but stats which clearly show Quinn was not the problem. Moreover, playing against one of the best defenses in the country (and in NCAA history), Quinn only threw one interception, and that was on the Irish first drive in 2005 when a Trojan defender knocked Quinn's arm on his follow through.

 

What these stats also don't show are the numerous plays in which Quinn ran for big gains and first downs, including the go—ahead touchdown with only two minutes to play against USC in 2005.

 

Someday soon, Brady Quinn is going to be a very good NFL quarterback and he will prove all the nay sayers wrong. While nothing is a given in the competitive landscape that is the NFL, don't be surprised if Quinn is among the league's best players in two or three years.

 

For now, he remains in a sticky situation in Cleveland and almost everyone is saying he has to prove himself to win the starting job. Brady Quinn will win the starting job, that much you don't have to worry about.

 

Still, there is the possibility that Quinn will not have much success in Cleveland, but that has to do with the overall team the Browns are putting on the field. Even if Cleveland only wins three or four games in 2009, don't expect many to point the finger at Quinn's play as the reason for their ineptitude.

 

For those who have watched Quinn closely over the past five years know he has all the tools to succeed. He is very accurate, has good arm strength (just watch the bomb thrown to McKnight against Michigan State in 2006 for proof), and consistently makes smart decisions.

 

And what may aid his career the most in the NFL is his ability to escape pressure, make throws with people in his face, and allude rushing defenders, again all very much in the form of Peyton Manning.

 

Both players have the vision and footwork to slip out of a bad situation with a split second shuffle of the feet and turned shoulders ready to get the ball off to a receiver.

 

More amazingly, Brady Quinn is as good as anyone I've ever seen, at not so much making guys miss what looks to be a sure sack, but literally over—powering them and shrugging them off and getting rid of the ball.

 

With stronger and faster defenders in the NFL this may not happen as much, but don't be surprised if Quinn is able to make something out of nothing when he has to. When you add up the entire package that Brady Quinn brings to the table, the chance for success is very high.

 

So if you think the jury is still out and that you think he's a bum or needs to play more to prove to you his worth, just remember one thing:

 

Do not bet against Brady Quinn.

 

Shep should LOVE this...and LUMMY is going to pout once again in this thread.

[Farang]

OK, so this guy is a little overboard with the Manning comparisons....but the rest of what he says about Quinns characteristics and past is pretty good stuff:

 

 

 

Shep should LOVE this...and LUMMY is going to pout once again in this thread.

 

Nah, Lums will just say the writer is a Quinn fag.

 

[WPB Dawg Fan]

"I live and breath Notre Dame football and nothing in the sports world comes close to it in my mind."

 

Considering the above is the guys first sentance is his Bio if you google him. Lums would be mostly correct......

 

 

What WPB were you just bored?

Didn't bother googling him...but that IS funny!!!

[Vegasdogg]

But over these 12 losses Quinn amassed the following statistics:

 

261 for 478 (54.6 %), 3,199 yards, 23 TD—12 INT

 

While certainly not all—world numbers, those are pretty good stats for games in which Quinn's team never won. Also, keep in mind the Irish defense gave up over 35 points per game in these losses.

 

 

 

Similarly, let's take a look at Quinn's numbers against Southern California in Notre Dame's three losses:

 

56 for 109 (51.3%) 643 yards, 5 TD—1 INT

 

Once again, not mind boggling numbers, but stats which clearly show Quinn was not the problem. Moreover, playing against one of the best defenses in the country (and in NCAA history), Quinn only threw one interception, and that was on the Irish first drive in 2005 when a Trojan defender knocked Quinn's arm on his follow through.

 

I've watched Notre Dame religiously since I played for them my first time ever playing football - 6 yrs old.

 

I am not saying Quinn is the guy, but I will tell you that playing those good teams and coming up short was a team deal, not a Quinn thing. He did everything he could in those games against better teams, much more than DA did last season when things fell apart. When Quinn was getting no support in those games and his defense couldn't stop anyone, he never gave up or made stupid play after stupid play, like DA did last season.

 

That is not an endorsement of Quinn, but at least you know he won't give the game away - like DA does 1/2 the time.

[Gips]

First off manning is a great qb but still somewhat overrated imo...

Being raised as both an ND and OSU fan i cant help but to love notre dame football myself and follow both the irish and the buckeyes extensively..i can say BQ was an amazing guy to watch week in and week out year in and year out...i always had hoped that he would land with the browns and was elated when he did but stunned he had dropped that far in the draft i knew this kid was pro-ready with a mental tuffness and football smartness few qbs fresh out of college possess...with the holdout bq forfieted the right to start imho but both crennel and savage badly mishandled BQ beyond that...a qb of bqs draft caliber should never be rotting on the bench minus his first year holdout stunt without even a fair chance to show what he has...

 

He will adapt fast and at some point prevail as a high calibur nfl qb if not in cleveland then somewhere else...

I have nothing against DA he has some real potential with proper tudoring and some corrections also but he can never be the complete solution its real possible that bq can be the solution but we will never know if they dont start him...my guess is bq will start but under mangini will not have much room for serious error and will have to steadily show he can get it done because DA will be waiting for his chance if bq cant adapt...

 

EDIT:

I should point out i was for starting DA last year he deserved that much but there still should have been a competition just to bring the best out of both of them and keep them on the cutting edge what disqusted me was the fact that rac would not put bq in early in the season after DA fell flat on his face then they name bq next years starter and bring him in with a totally crippled team and an absolutely disqusting playbook to try and save their jobs and in the end its not the 4-12 record that got them fired it was their bad judgement ,poor gameplanning and horrid management of the players..RAC was likely pigeonholed by savage and to gutless to speak out...

[Lumbergh]

nice rosy piece of fluff WPB.

 

Or should we just call you "Eric Murtaugh" now?

 

I didn't finish the article, but in that glorious remembrance of his college days, did it mention his stats in the bowl game where DA beat his ass down and won the game MVP?

[Vegasdogg]

did it mention his stats in the bowl game where DA beat his ass down and won the game MVP?

2nd Cin game 2007. 'Nuff said.

[Lumbergh]

Keep hanging onto the college days

 

in case you hadn't noticed, "hanging onto the college days" was the point of this fluff BQ piece.

 

since there's not much else to go on for BQ Nation.

 

well there's one other thing to pin hopes on. Maybe shep can come through with some more bullshit on "unseen intangibles" for the 500th time. That's the other avenue for BQ Nation to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

[daddybull1]

Quinn does compare well to Manning---

 

Both are NFL QB's

Both have 2 arms

Both have 2 legs

Both have 2 hands

Both have been bitch slapped in the locker room...oops, that was Quinn...My bad..

 

I'm just being a bit of a jerk, looking for some responses lol...

 

peace

 

T.Dawg

[Zombo]

Quinn has similar arm strength to Manning -- neither has a bazooka, but can make all the throws.

 

They're both smart guys, film junkies, and workaholics.

 

Both got knocked for not winning the big game.

 

Both played under as glaring a spotlight as possible.

 

Lums, don't try to compare DA's college numbers to Quinn's. In his last two years, Quinn had 69 TDs and 14 INTs in Weis' pro style offense and won the Maxwell Trophy as the nation's best passer.

 

Anderson, uhm... did not. It wasn't his big arm that got him drafted in round 6, you know.

 

Manning has a bigger body and bigger arm than Quinn, more like Anderson in that regard than Quinn.

 

And I'm not sure why are you are putting Quinn in the Manning category of intelligence, unless you are still stuck on wonderlics. Manning is the smartest QB in the history of the game IMO, Quinn has enough smarts but he is no braniac.

 

Here you go again making Quinn out to be more than he is instead of being satisfied with what he is: a very good passer, good enough to win the job and possibly have NFL greatness.

 

Quinn has the body of a Don McNabb or a buffed-out Kurt Warner.

 

Manning and Anderson have similar bodies, 6'5 230 and 6'6 230. Manning has a powerful arm, don't be fooled by the touch and accuracy. But it is what he has upstairs that separates him from everybody else, I hardly think you can put Quinn in that category just yet.

 

Zombo

--Maybe after two "healthy starts"

 

 

 

[AZBrowns]

nice rosy piece of fluff WPB.

 

Or should we just call you "Eric Murtaugh" now?

 

I didn't finish the article, but in that glorious remembrance of his college days, did it mention his stats in the bowl game where DA beat his ass down and won the game MVP?

 

 

It should probably be noted that that game took place and ultimately ended up being Ty Willingham's last game as ND head coach, Brady Quinn was just finishing his sophomore campaign, which was Derek Anderson's senior campaign and Quinn didn't begin to improve (something Anderson hasn't done since his sophomore year in college) until the following year under Charlie Weis tuteledge.

 

 

Quinn also had a pretty good game, but Notre Dame's secondary was god-awful that year.

 

 

 

[Greythan]

Exciting article if you are a Browns fan. It mentions nothing about the other QB's on our roster. Its focused solely on Quinn and the player he might become. What's not to like?

 

Great read. Thanks WPD!

[Zombo]

Manning does NOT have a cannon. Most recently, the NFL Net guys were saying his claims of a "bazooka arm" on that one commercial were funny, because he's more like Fouts and Marino, guys who have good but not great arms and terrific downfield accuracy.

 

Quinn can throw the ball as far or farther than Peyton Manning. I'd bet on it. But it doesn't much matter because they both can throw the throws. And DA has WAY more arm than either. Which doesn't matter as much as he and Lums would like.

 

I'm not the first to compare Quinn's study habits to Peyton Manning. Maybe the 100th. Manning got a 28 on the W and Quinn got a 29. They're both traditionally intelligent enough, but it's the work ethic that connects them.

 

Manning has the stronger arm of the two and has the highest football intelligence of any QB I have ever seen.

 

He also was drafted first overall, and threw for 7,800 yards and 52 TDs in his first two seasons in the NFL.

 

Yeah, sounds like Quinn.

 

But they do both work hard, I will give you that.

 

Zombo

--What's next ... Brian Robiskie versus Jerry Rice?

[cmac12]

I've watched Notre Dame religiously since I played for them my first time ever playing football - 6 yrs old.

 

I am not saying Quinn is the guy, but I will tell you that playing those good teams and coming up short was a team deal, not a Quinn thing. He did everything he could in those games against better teams, much more than DA did last season when things fell apart. When Quinn was getting no support in those games and his defense couldn't stop anyone, he never gave up or made stupid play after stupid play, like DA did last season.

 

That is not an endorsement of Quinn, but at least you know he won't give the game away - like DA does 1/2 the time.

But you are comparing what DA did in the Pros against what BQ did in college and that is not a fair comparision. DA won all of his bowl games in college aand DA beat the great USC and their defense and only lost at Number 1 LSU because the kicker missed 3 extra points (lost by one). So if you are only looking at college then DA did not give away the big game and though he did throw allot of ints he usually was the reason that Oregon State won its big games (including ND).

 

This is not an endorsement of DA, but does go to show that college does not really translate into the pros and that hopefully when BQ plays a full year he has a better year than DA did at a year younger than BQ is this year (basically same experiance coming in)10 wins, 3700 yards and 29TDs and most importantly I hope to see growth out of BQ and not regression.

 

And if you want to talk about hanging on to what people did in college then please go talk to allot of the BQ people, that is all they have at this point. I don't disagree that BQ should start this year but he is NO Peyton Manning. If he was RAC could not had kept him off the field last year. People act as if BQ did not have his chance to shine when DA was out with a head injury in the preseason. What did he show? Did he show he was ready to start and without out question he was a can't miss QB? I don't think so. He showed that he might be able to lead a team, that although he was pron to some bad throws and decisions that he could make some pretty good throws (like the 20 yard out to steptoe I believe). BQ is not WINNING the QB position battle he is basically getting it handed to him because DA did not take advantage of his chance to start last year (though you could say that in DA's healthy starts that he did pretty good). Niether QB has looked good so far in this preseason, BQ has looked a little less bad.

 

BQ will start this year, of that I have no doubt. I also think that the Browns will win 8 or 9 games this year because of better coaching and a improved defense. Stop trying to make it seem like BQ is the second coming of Peyton Manning or Joe Montana or even Tom Brady. I am just hoping he is not the second coming of Charlie Frye. BQ is not and I repeat IS NOT a can't miss QB. He has the skill set and brains to be a very productive QB in the NFL but please stop with this all time greatest stuff. I am hoping he can be a Drew Brees type of QB, one that can carry your team if needed and is really good but is not going to go to the hall of fame.

 

Let BQ put a few starts together before we really try and decide what he is. After all if you look at DA and BQ at the same times in their careers(age, starts and situation) they are basically the same as far as production goes with DA having a slight advantage in most catergories including completion percentage. That is by comparing both of their NFL stats vs each other at similar points in their careers. As far as the golden arm Maxwell trophy goes from college, not having looked it up but I can bet there are a number of QBs that totally floped in the NFL that won that trophy.

 

Oh and just a point, Ty Willingham got fired for having a better record than Charlie Weiss. Charlie won his games with Ty Willinghams players. Charlie Wiess is one hell of a OC but as a head coach he blows. He will win allot of games this year because of his schedule not because ND is a good team. If he played a Big 12, Big 10, ACC, SEC, Pac 10 or even a Big East schedule he would be near 500 win percentage at best.

[Greythan]

Other than trying to check Shep against the boards (which is futile as you know), what's your point Z?

 

The article paints a Cleveland Brown player in a positive light with some pretty good foundational points as support.

 

Good stuff.

[Zombo]

Other than trying to check Shep against the boards (which is futile as you know), what's your point Z?

 

Haven't even read the article yet, just responding to Shep's comparison of Quinn's arm and intelligence to Manning's.

 

You know maybe all the things Shep says about Quinn will come true, maybe not. But I heard him say the exact same things about Joey Harrington.

 

So far in the NFL Brady Quinn has won one game, has thrown two TDs, has a passer rating of 65 and got punched by a teammate.

 

It's not playing out like the Peyton Manning story.

 

I have great hope for Quinn as well.

 

But can we wait until he effing does something at this level before we gush?

 

Go out and win 11 games, throw for 4,000 yards and 30 TDs and I'll gush like a motherphucker.

 

Zombo

[Lumbergh]

Quinn can throw the ball as far or farther than Peyton Manning. I'd bet on it.

 

okay. bet on it.

 

bet the farm.

[Lumbergh]

Consider it betten.

 

Unless it's the biggest hoax ever, it's been oft reported that Quinn can throw 70 yards to an actual receiver. Doerschuck called it his "trick."

 

yeah you've been trying to say that forever.

 

problem is, we don't need your "oft reported" bullshit. we actually saw him try to go deep. and it wasn't pretty.

 

Quinn couldn't throw a baseball 70 yds.

 

[Greythan]

Haven't even read the article yet

Read it. Its a good article.

[Drunkandstoopid]

But you are comparing what DA did in the Pros against what BQ did in college and that is not a fair comparision. DA won all of his bowl games in college aand DA beat the great USC and their defense and only lost at Number 1 LSU because the kicker missed 3 extra points (lost by one). So if you are only looking at college then DA did not give away the big game and though he did throw allot of ints he usually was the reason that Oregon State won its big games (including ND).

 

This is not an endorsement of DA, but does go to show that college does not really translate into the pros and that hopefully when BQ plays a full year he has a better year than DA did at a year younger than BQ is this year (basically same experiance coming in)10 wins, 3700 yards and 29TDs and most importantly I hope to see growth out of BQ and not regression.

 

Not completely accurate I'm afraid... DA never beat USC, got real close and nearly single-handedly beat them his senior year, lost on a Reggie Bush punt return, also lost his first bowl game to Pittsburgh. On the other hand... DA took a team that had been to 1 bowl game in 30 years to three straight bowls, winning his last two... DA nearly beat USC and LSU despite OSU having the worst rushing attack in the NCAA (70 yards a game, #117 in D1 ball) his senior year...

 

And to the guy from Arizona who keeps insisting DA never improved in college... his completion percentage went from 46.4 to 54.7 over the course of his starting years, his TD/Int ratio went from 1/1 his junior year under a new coach and offense to almost 2/1 his senior year.... All this while going through 2 coaches and 2 offenses in 3 years and playing a schedule Sagarin rated as the #2 toughest schedule in the nation his senior year. Not saying his numbers were tremendous, but he definitely had improvement even though he had no running game around him and was working in a system he'd only been in for a year. If Leinart had been in the same situation he'd have people saying he sucked as a college QB too, rather than winning the Heisman that year.

 

I'd say both of these kids that are vying for the Browns' QB job have a shot at starting in the league for a while.

[Guest Aloysius]

From 2004 to 2006 Notre Dame lost 12 games while Brady Quinn was under center for the Fighting Irish. Given how he has been portrayed as the guy who couldn't win the big game (remind you of a certain player with a blue #18 on his jersey?) you would think Brady Quinn wouldn't have played very well in these losses.

 

But over these 12 losses Quinn amassed the following statistics:

 

261 for 478 (54.6 %), 3,199 yards, 23 TD—12 INT

Of course, that excludes his first year starting, over which he accumulated the following losing game stats:

• 115 for 245 (46.9 %), 1,328 yards, 6 TD—12 INT

Also, it doesn't put a strong enough emphasis on his senior year performance, which was the biggest focus during the draft process:

• 61 for 128 (47.7 %), 656 yards, 8 TD—5 INT

And I don't think the biggest knock against Quinn was that he didn't win big games; it was/were

1. that he didn't always appear composed when facing pressure
2. concerns about his accuracy, especially on deep throws (some didn't think this was an issue, but Todd McShay clearly did)

So the win/loss rubric may not be all that helpful. You'd be better off looking at Quinn's stats in games where he faced a lot of pressure, like the '06 opener against Georgia Tech. Or just ditching the college stats & judging him based on his play this year.

[cmac12]

Thanks Drunk, you are correct I was wrong. Went back and double checked what I thought and you are correct. 2 - 1 in bowl games and no wins VS USC. But did play one of the hardest schedules in the country every year. Out of curiosity what was ND's schedule ranked during BQs reign?

 

Either way this has nothing to do with how they will do as pros, which is actually my point. But sorry for the misrepresentation.

[AZBrowns]

And to the guy from Arizona who keeps insisting DA never improved in college... his completion percentage went from 46.4 to 54.7 over the course of his starting years, his TD/Int ratio went from 1/1 his junior year under a new coach and offense to almost 2/1 his senior year.... All this while going through 2 coaches and 2 offenses in 3 years and playing a schedule Sagarin rated as the #2 toughest schedule in the nation his senior year. Not saying his numbers were tremendous, but he definitely had improvement even though he had no running game around him and was working in a system he'd only been in for a year. If Leinart had been in the same situation he'd have people saying he sucked as a college QB too, rather than winning the Heisman that year.

 

I guess you can consider that an improvement, but it's really not a significant one. In fact, his TD:INT ratio DECREASED from his sophomore to junior year, only to spike in his senior year. That shows me nothing but inconsistency and mediocrity.

 

 

[Guest mz.]

In fact, his TD:INT ratio DECREASED from his sophomore to junior year, only to spike in his senior year. That shows me nothing but inconsistency and mediocrity.

 

He also may have been forced to throw more his senior season with Steven Jackson having moved on to the NFL.

[AZBrowns]

yeah you've been trying to say that forever.

 

problem is, we don't need your "oft reported" bullshit. we actually saw him try to go deep. and it wasn't pretty.

 

Quinn couldn't throw a baseball 70 yds.

 

 

Ok I can give you that,

 

But remember, we've seen DA try to throw the ball five yards - which is thrown a lot more than the 70 yard ball in the NFL -- and it wasn't pretty.

[Guest AdaM]

Ok I can give you that,

 

But remember, we've seen DA try to throw the ball five yards - which is thrown a lot more than the 70 yard ball in the NFL -- and it wasn't pretty.

 

 

Any 15 year old punk can throw a baseball 70 yards, tard.

[Drunkandstoopid]

I guess you can consider that an improvement, but it's really not a significant one. In fact, his TD:INT ratio DECREASED from his sophomore to junior year, only to spike in his senior year. That shows me nothing but inconsistency and mediocrity.

 

The coaches and the offense changed after his sophomore year.

 

If you take a look at the history of quaterback performances under coach Riley at OSU, you'll find... DA was one of the leaders in the nation for Ints his first year in the offense and led the nation the first few weeks the next year then improved. He's in the NFL now. His immediate replacement, Matt Moore, led the nation in Int's his first year in the offense, and also the first few weeks of his second year in the system. He's in the NFL now. His immediate replacements, Sean Canfield and Lyle Moevao, combined to lead the nation in Ints their first year (even though Canfield had been in the system for a year or two) and again led the nation for the first couple weeks of the next year... yet to be seen if one of these guys goes on to the NFL.

 

High risk, high reward. Apparently it's a tough O to break into. One thing each of the newer kids have that DA did not get the benefit of is a very good offensive line and a very decent to great running game every year they've played. DA did have a great running game, but a poor line by all accounts, his junior year. His senior year he was on his own, behind a weak line and no running help, yet he did improve. I'd have loved to see him play behind the line the Beavers have now, even one more year in the system would have made a huge difference in many people's perception of him.

 

When you look at a QB, you need to look at the hand their dealt. Even the best QB is going to have a tough time without a solid team around him.

[Drunkandstoopid]

Out of curiosity what was ND's schedule ranked during BQs reign?

According to Sagarin 2004- 5 2005- 14 2006- 18

 

 

[Vegasdogg]

The coaches and the offense changed after his sophomore year.

 

When you look at a QB, you need to look at the hand their dealt. Even the best QB is going to have a tough time without a solid team around him.

You do understand that both of those sentences apply to Quinn's tenure at Notre Dame, right?

[WPB Dawg Fan]

yeah you've been trying to say that forever.

 

problem is, we don't need your "oft reported" bullshit. we actually saw him try to go deep. and it wasn't pretty.

 

Quinn couldn't throw a baseball 70 yds.

 

I am going to make this easy...in 2008 Joyner did a mid year analysis between Romo and E.Manning to determine who was the better QB. Follow along and you will understand how this is important...patience!!!

 

At that point in the season, E.Manning had thrown 219 times and Romo 191 times.

 

Here is the key:

 

Short passes

Manning: 139 (63.5% of his passes)

Romo: 132 (69.1% of his passes)

 

Add in the intermediate routes

Manning: 48 (21.9%)

Romo: 35 (19.3%)

 

And you get

Manning: 187/219 (85.4%)

Romo: 167/191 (87.4%)

 

So, two QB's that are pretty decent and get their teams to the playoffs pretty consistently are throwing OVER 85% OF THEIR PASSES LESS THAN 20 YARDS

 

In contrast, the threw the ball over 30 yards:

Manning: 13 (5.9%)

Romo: 10 (5.2%)

 

Romo is considered a gunslinger by many....so try to tell me now why it is important for Quinn to throw the ball over 70 yards again....no, please....tell me why that is important!!!

 

When 85% of your success is determined by your short to intermediate passing game, I think the fact a guy can lob it the length of the field is pretty much a moot point!