Week 7 Total QB Rating

Quarterbacks are expected to be the team’s savior. They get most of the publicity, and most of the blame when things go wrong. What I hate is listening to announcers on TV building up quarterbacks before the game that I know have poor ratings, on teams having disappointing seasons. If the player was so great, why does the team continue to lose? I know the announcers have to stir interest so viewers won’t change the channel. 

 

But let’s give credit where credit is due. Most of the top teams have highly rated QB’s. Most of the poor teams have low rated QB’s. Doesn’t matter if the QB is a “multi-purpose” QB or a traditional dropback passer. Strong arm or not. Either way, if they can’t hit a receiver in the hands, what good are they? “Multi-purpose” QB’s are more likely to get hurt. As I’ve often pointed out, “multi-purpose” just means they’re a good runner. More often than not, a multi-purpose QB isn’t Johnny Unitas when it comes to passing. In college the great Deshaun Watson often threw interceptions or threw passes too high. The secret to coaching any QB is to play to his strengths, and as much as possible keeping him out of situations he fares well in. Texans head coach Bill O’Brien, who was Tom Brady’s QB coach in New England, may be the best thing that’s ever happened to Watson.

 

This week Georgia’s Jake Fromm vaulted up to 13th nationally in ESPN’s Total QB Rating. Jake doesn’t have an arm as strong as teammate Jacob Eason, but he can make most all the throws required of a QB. Fromm doesn’t have the running ability of Clemson’s Kelly Bryant, but Fromm sees the field exceptionally well – so he better knows when a receiver will be open or that a running lane is clear. As good as Bryant is, to me Fromm is the type I want running my team. Eason is like a baseball pitcher who can throw 100 MPH – but has no control. The speedballer who only has one pitch.

 

Like the NFL, colleges are enamored with athletic ability more than football IQ. They give the keys to talented players who may have the reaction time to avoid wrecks, but not the experience to maneuver the team past unseen obstacles like blitzes and disguised coverages.  Many consider the term “game manager” to be the worst title a QB can have, but if the rest of your team is good, that’s exactly the type QB you need. Watkins and Alabama’s Jalen Hurts may be considered the first of a new wave of multi-purpose game managers.

 

1. 91.0 Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma

2. 90.6 Mason Rudolph, Oklahoma State

3. 84.7 JT Barrett, Ohio State (above): on the rise

6. 82.1 Will Grier, West Virginia: Florida transfer

7. 81.9 Lamar Jackson, Louisville: no Heisman talk

8. 81.7 Ryan Finley, NC State: in the Atlantic Division’s driver’s seat

9. 81.6 Jalen Hurts, Alabama

 

11. 79.0 Kenny Hill, TCU

12. 75.7 Danny Etling, LSU: on the rise

13. 75.6 Jake Fromm, Georgia: on the rise

15. 74.8 Kelly Bryant, Clemson: hurt

16. 74.4 Nick Fitzgerald, Miss State

17. 73.4 Jake Browning, Washington

18. 73.4 John Wolford, Wake Forest

 

23. 71.8 Malik Rosier, Miami: on the rise

25. 70.8 Kyle Shurmur, Vandy

27. 69.5 Brandon Wimbush, Notre Dame: tough games ahead

28. 69.5 Josh Jackson, Virginia Tech

30. 68.4 Sam Darnold, Southern Cal: wunderkind?

32. 68.2 Taquon Marshall GT doesn’t get pub like #30 Darnold & #33 Rosen

 

33. 67.8 Josh Rosen, UCLA

34. 67.4 Eric Dungey, Syracuse: beat Clemson

36. 67.1 Conner Manning, Georgia State

38. 66.9 Jarrett Stidham, Auburn

 

40. 66.6 Stephen Johnson, Kentucky continues to drop

42. 66.5 Shea Patterson, Ole Miss

48. 63.9 Trace McSorley, Penn State: tough games ahead

54. 61.2 Kellen Mond, Texas A&M

58. 59.9 Drew Lock, Missouri

 

60. 59.8 Kurt Benkert, Virginia

62. 59.7 Sam Ehlinger, Texas

64. 58.9 Austin Allen, Arkansas

66. 58.8 Feleipe Franks, Florida

68. 57.7 Jake Bentley, South Carolina

 

71. 57.0 James Blackman, FSU

74. 55.9 Chazz Surratt, North Carolina

80. 51.7 Quinten Dormady, Tenn: lost his job

89. 48.9 Max Browne, Pitt: now we know why he transferred from USC

96. 47.0 Anthony Brown, Boston College

 

100. 43.7 Daniel Jones, Duke

106. 40.7 Shane Buechele, Texas

108. 40.1 Zach Smith, Baylor