Something to Prove
August 26th 2010 22:54
With college football season right around the corner, we look today at several quarterbacks that are under the microscope, whether by being the guy that’s expected to do huge things, or the new guys in big starting roles. No matter what the story, they all have one thing in common. They have something to prove...
Big men on campus?
These QB’s have shown signs of greatness, but must have a big season to get their team to a BCS bowl.
Jake Locker- What’s all the hype about this guy? He’s thrown 36 career touchdowns and 26 interceptions in his career at Washington. What’s so special about that? He led his team to a 5-7 record last season. There’s nothing too good to say about that. Just like a couple of years ago, with the same type record, we hailed “Jay Cutler!”as an impressive QB (but now the Vanderbilt grad isn’t playing at the level that he first was when he entered the NFL). I would say Locker needs to show that he has the leadership to march his team into a BCS bowl, but so far he hasn’t even been close. Locker, to me, definitely has something still to prove.
Terrelle Pryor- Ohio State is ranked number two in the nation coming into this season. They will need Pryor to be consistent with the way he played against Oregon in the Rose Bowl to stay there. He needs to show the critics (including me) that it was a coming out party for him against the Ducks on New Year’s day, and not just a flash of brilliance. He won’t always be able to just use his legs, so he will need the accuracy to remain in his passes. A good defensive line like Iowa’s could disrupt his game, seeing as he won’t be able to run as much. Can he make his mark through the air? That’s something he must prove.
Ryan Mallet- Talk about a big man on campus. How about one that’s 6'7" and pushing 240lbs. Mallet had a great season for Arkansas last year by slinging 30 touchdowns, while managing to keep his interceptions to seven. He became the first Razorback QB to be nominated as a pre-season all-SEC selection. If their defense is half as good as their passing game, Arkansas could possibly give Alabama a challenge when the two teams square off. Either way, it looks as if Arkansas is the front-runner to finish behind Bama in the SEC west. But can Mallet take them even higher. It will be something extremely difficult for him to prove.
The dark horses
Andrew Luck- How good is Luck? Better yet, how good is Stanford? Many people have the young starter as a Heisman front-runner, and Stanford as a big threat to take the Pac-10. Luck will really need to step up his game in order for either of those to occur. Luck will deeply miss the down-hill running ability of Toby Gerhart, but coach Jim Harbaugh thinks he will still do great things and go on to have a long career in the NFL. Is that what he said when he was
working with Ryan Leaf? Anyway, Luck, to a lot of people around the nation, looks like a legitimate Heisman contender. There’s only one thing left to say: prove it.
Jacory Harris- I expect things from the U this season, and here is the main reason why. At the top of his game, Harris has the ability to get into some serious Heisman talk and also lead this Miami team to an ACC title at the same time. I expect Harris to stay in the Heisman conversation for awhile, not fade off as he did last year. Miami will have their hands full with Virginia Tech, Florida State, and Georgia Tech, but overall I see them on top and in the Orange Bowl. They can’t do this though, without the leadership of Harris. He has something he must prove.
Ricky Stanzi- If they pull off the upset of OSU, all the talk will shift from Pryor, and on to this guy in the Big 10. Stanzi has the numbers and the past records to show he is a solid QB. It’s his final year at Iowa, and he wants to go out with a bang. Winning the Big 10 would do it for him. He’s on the Davey O’Brien watch list at the beginning of this season and is been claimed by many as the best quarterback in his conference. Stanzi has said the Hawkeyes are well improved, but until someone beats Ohio State, their still the big boys of the Big 10. Stanzi wants his team in that position. He has the stuff to do it. Now he needs to prove himself.
The new sheriff in town
Garrett Gilbert- Imagine starting your career in college football at the pinnacle game of the sport. Not an easy thing to do, wouldn’t you say? Sure Gilbert started off very rough by committing 5 turnovers, but he settled down to have a nice 2nd half against one of the best defenses in college football history. Now he comes into his first season as a starter, replacing the great Colt McCoy, who was hurt in the National Title game that thrust Gilbert into the spotlight. Gilbert should come into this season with a lot more confidence, but then again, there won’t be a guy like Jordan Shipley to throw the ball to. I still like the ‘Horns to take the Big 12, but I would wait a year before making National Championship bets on Texas. Gilbert has to fill big shoes. Now’s the time to prove himself.
John Brantley- Speaking of big shoes to fill, how about replacing a guy that won a heisman and two National Championships to go along with being the most popular person to ever walk the campus. Not a cake walk to fit in those cleats. But for John Brantley, he’s more concerned about improving his own play, than walking in the shadows of Tim Tebow. The redshirt junior has had plenty of time to learn the option spread offense, and learn it from some of the best. Now it’s his turn. Florida will miss some keys from their receiving game, but will have a great running game to ease Brantley into the starting role. Is Brantley the next great Florida QB? He’ll just have to prove it.
Aaron Murray- There’s many questions surrounding the new Georgia QB, but it’s not like he’s following anyone great. Since David Greene, there hasn’t been a star at the position. Behind Florida it looks like a free-for-all in the SEC east. Star WR A.J. Green says he likes what he’s seeing so far with the new man running the offense. It’s not as much of a well-known QB change, but with Green and former high school teammate Orson Charles receiving, Murray may have to prove he’s better than some people think.
Deserving a second chance
Jeremiah Masoli- The former playmaker at Oregon was kicked off the team after pleading guilty to 2nd-degree burglary on Oregon’s campus and a misdemeanor drug charge. He was givin a second chance at Ole Miss, where he will start at QB this fall. Ole Miss is coming off a down season to say the least, after Jevan Snead and the rest of the team did not play up to their expectations. Can Masoli regain that edge he had last season, or will his off the field problems effect his play. He’ll have to prove some people wrong.
Cameron Newton- After starting his collegiate career at Florida, Newton was dismissed from his scholarship and the team after he stole a laptop and then threw it out a dorm window to try to keep the police from noticing. He went to Blinn Junior College in Texas, where he guided them to the JC Championship. He now has transferred to Auburn, where he has been dubbed the new starting QB for the Tigers. We’ll see how this 6'6"-245lb monster will handle starting as an SEC QB. Is he the next Jason Campbell at AUB? We will just have to see if he can prove himself.
Big men on campus?
These QB’s have shown signs of greatness, but must have a big season to get their team to a BCS bowl.
Jake Locker- What’s all the hype about this guy? He’s thrown 36 career touchdowns and 26 interceptions in his career at Washington. What’s so special about that? He led his team to a 5-7 record last season. There’s nothing too good to say about that. Just like a couple of years ago, with the same type record, we hailed “Jay Cutler!”as an impressive QB (but now the Vanderbilt grad isn’t playing at the level that he first was when he entered the NFL). I would say Locker needs to show that he has the leadership to march his team into a BCS bowl, but so far he hasn’t even been close. Locker, to me, definitely has something still to prove.
Terrelle Pryor- Ohio State is ranked number two in the nation coming into this season. They will need Pryor to be consistent with the way he played against Oregon in the Rose Bowl to stay there. He needs to show the critics (including me) that it was a coming out party for him against the Ducks on New Year’s day, and not just a flash of brilliance. He won’t always be able to just use his legs, so he will need the accuracy to remain in his passes. A good defensive line like Iowa’s could disrupt his game, seeing as he won’t be able to run as much. Can he make his mark through the air? That’s something he must prove.
Ryan Mallet- Talk about a big man on campus. How about one that’s 6'7" and pushing 240lbs. Mallet had a great season for Arkansas last year by slinging 30 touchdowns, while managing to keep his interceptions to seven. He became the first Razorback QB to be nominated as a pre-season all-SEC selection. If their defense is half as good as their passing game, Arkansas could possibly give Alabama a challenge when the two teams square off. Either way, it looks as if Arkansas is the front-runner to finish behind Bama in the SEC west. But can Mallet take them even higher. It will be something extremely difficult for him to prove.
The dark horses
Andrew Luck- How good is Luck? Better yet, how good is Stanford? Many people have the young starter as a Heisman front-runner, and Stanford as a big threat to take the Pac-10. Luck will really need to step up his game in order for either of those to occur. Luck will deeply miss the down-hill running ability of Toby Gerhart, but coach Jim Harbaugh thinks he will still do great things and go on to have a long career in the NFL. Is that what he said when he was
working with Ryan Leaf? Anyway, Luck, to a lot of people around the nation, looks like a legitimate Heisman contender. There’s only one thing left to say: prove it.
Jacory Harris- I expect things from the U this season, and here is the main reason why. At the top of his game, Harris has the ability to get into some serious Heisman talk and also lead this Miami team to an ACC title at the same time. I expect Harris to stay in the Heisman conversation for awhile, not fade off as he did last year. Miami will have their hands full with Virginia Tech, Florida State, and Georgia Tech, but overall I see them on top and in the Orange Bowl. They can’t do this though, without the leadership of Harris. He has something he must prove.
Ricky Stanzi- If they pull off the upset of OSU, all the talk will shift from Pryor, and on to this guy in the Big 10. Stanzi has the numbers and the past records to show he is a solid QB. It’s his final year at Iowa, and he wants to go out with a bang. Winning the Big 10 would do it for him. He’s on the Davey O’Brien watch list at the beginning of this season and is been claimed by many as the best quarterback in his conference. Stanzi has said the Hawkeyes are well improved, but until someone beats Ohio State, their still the big boys of the Big 10. Stanzi wants his team in that position. He has the stuff to do it. Now he needs to prove himself.
The new sheriff in town
Garrett Gilbert- Imagine starting your career in college football at the pinnacle game of the sport. Not an easy thing to do, wouldn’t you say? Sure Gilbert started off very rough by committing 5 turnovers, but he settled down to have a nice 2nd half against one of the best defenses in college football history. Now he comes into his first season as a starter, replacing the great Colt McCoy, who was hurt in the National Title game that thrust Gilbert into the spotlight. Gilbert should come into this season with a lot more confidence, but then again, there won’t be a guy like Jordan Shipley to throw the ball to. I still like the ‘Horns to take the Big 12, but I would wait a year before making National Championship bets on Texas. Gilbert has to fill big shoes. Now’s the time to prove himself.
John Brantley- Speaking of big shoes to fill, how about replacing a guy that won a heisman and two National Championships to go along with being the most popular person to ever walk the campus. Not a cake walk to fit in those cleats. But for John Brantley, he’s more concerned about improving his own play, than walking in the shadows of Tim Tebow. The redshirt junior has had plenty of time to learn the option spread offense, and learn it from some of the best. Now it’s his turn. Florida will miss some keys from their receiving game, but will have a great running game to ease Brantley into the starting role. Is Brantley the next great Florida QB? He’ll just have to prove it.
Aaron Murray- There’s many questions surrounding the new Georgia QB, but it’s not like he’s following anyone great. Since David Greene, there hasn’t been a star at the position. Behind Florida it looks like a free-for-all in the SEC east. Star WR A.J. Green says he likes what he’s seeing so far with the new man running the offense. It’s not as much of a well-known QB change, but with Green and former high school teammate Orson Charles receiving, Murray may have to prove he’s better than some people think.
Deserving a second chance
Jeremiah Masoli- The former playmaker at Oregon was kicked off the team after pleading guilty to 2nd-degree burglary on Oregon’s campus and a misdemeanor drug charge. He was givin a second chance at Ole Miss, where he will start at QB this fall. Ole Miss is coming off a down season to say the least, after Jevan Snead and the rest of the team did not play up to their expectations. Can Masoli regain that edge he had last season, or will his off the field problems effect his play. He’ll have to prove some people wrong.
Cameron Newton- After starting his collegiate career at Florida, Newton was dismissed from his scholarship and the team after he stole a laptop and then threw it out a dorm window to try to keep the police from noticing. He went to Blinn Junior College in Texas, where he guided them to the JC Championship. He now has transferred to Auburn, where he has been dubbed the new starting QB for the Tigers. We’ll see how this 6'6"-245lb monster will handle starting as an SEC QB. Is he the next Jason Campbell at AUB? We will just have to see if he can prove himself.
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