Does Rudock's Intelligence/Personality Inhibit his play?

[DP5555]

We've had some good threads on here lately! I appreciate everyone's opinion, and I certainly appreciate the fact no one has decided to become a smart ***. It's refreshing. Good feedback.

I bet in two days it will be a different story

 

[MelroseHawkins]

This is just something I was thinking over while watching him play for Michigan last night. It's not really an angle I ever looked at while he was the QB at Iowa, but in hindsight I believe there might be something to it. I apologize in advance if this gets kinda long. I'm just rambling my thoughts.

I work in healthcare and as an Outreach Clinic Manager my job is to help run University of Iowa physician clinics (all different kinds of providers). Most Doctors have a very business like mentality. They want to know what to expect. They want to know the percentages of risk/reward. They want to dissect everything possible in order to help make the best decisions they possibly can for their patients. It's their job to overthink things. I think Jake Rudock's mentality is perfect for someone who is going to become a physician.

However, I realized last night that this mentality may play a big role in why he has struggled with consistency on the field. He is so tightly wound that he's unable to relax. It seems like he overthinks things and then makes sudden decisions out of impulse. Everything seems very sudden. Oh I'm going to dump it off! Oh **** he's open down the field I better heave it! It seems to me like he's complicating the game of football instead of letting it come to him. Nothing about his play is smooth.

I also believe his tightly wound personality can negatively impact the play of those around him. Jake is all business all the time and I honestly think the biggest favor he could do for himself would be to take a big deep breath and relax. Have a little fun, enjoy the moment, soak in the atmosphere and play ball. I think there is a lot to be said about having a QB who is more laid back. Maybe he cracks jokes in the huddle. Maybe it's just the way he shrugs off mistakes. Maybe it's the way he interacts loosely with his teammates. I don't know, but based on the sound bytes that have come out of camp it sure seems like the Hawkeye players feel more relaxed with CJ at the helm. We'll see if there's anything to this whole hypothesis of mine.

Excellent question. I suppose there is some truth to that. I have always said Ferentz's style of coaching may not transition the best for college f-ball, which is also a tightly wound style focusing on perfection and limiting mistakes. This is similar to how you describe Jake and may hold them back. College f-ball is supposed to be played free, somewhat reckless with a few mistakes. Looks at some of Iowa's most successful QB's in the Ferentz era, Banks, Tate, Stanzi. They all had a looseness to them & just played. All good leaders as well. Chandler was successful as well and probably was tightly wound in Ferentz's style. The other three had a certain edge to them, sometimes in a different way but they played loose & succeeded.

 

[PCHawk]

I'm a surgeon and in surgery there is no room for sudden decisions out of impulse. You have a plan going in and you execute that plan during the procedure. No room for a pick six.

I disagree. Surgeons make impulse decisions all the time. Haven't you ever seen Grey's Anatomy?

 

[Jonrn]

I don't think his intelligence inhibits his play....I think his overall lack of athleticism and arm talent inhibits his play.

Thank you!!! How intelligence would make you a worse quarterback is beyond me. How about he's not athletic to be starting for a power 5 college football team.

 

[Jonrn]

I disagree. Surgeons make impulse decisions all the time. Haven't you ever seen Grey's Anatomy?

I also disagree, I do anesthesia for a living. I've surgeons throw more pick-sixes than rudock, that's is for sure.

 

[doughudd]

No, not when he repeats the same mistakes over and over again. That pick six last night we've seen many times.

 

[docholihawk]

Jake's problems may be more of a result of fear than intelligence. After being coached by KF to be so afraid of taking chances that it has carried over to Michigan. He was maybe so afraid of doing badly and losing his starting position that it affected his play last night. I'm just guessing but it happens to people in everyday life so often that it affects their decision making. I wish the best for Jake. He gave 4 years of his life to Hawkeye Nation and if he was able to go and get another year of school paid for him I can't fault him for that.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Personally, I don't think Riddick ever got over Macho Grande.

 

[Rosebowler]

For his patients' sake, I just hope he doesn't suck as badly as a doctor as he does as a quarterback.

 

[HaydenHawk56]

Riddick's deep balls have been off just by a tad (in space terms that is about a half a million miles). We are also out of coffee.

 

[HawkPrdatr40]

JR is without a doubt one of the largest signs to me that KF needs to step away!!

 

[bigjim]

I don't think his intelligence inhibits his play....I think his overall lack of athleticism and arm talent inhibits his play.

I agree. Not to be knocking Jake, but I just don't think he's a D1 QB. Watching him play last night, he had the look of a true freshman at times, like the game was to fast for him.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

Don't care anymore. He doesn't play for Iowa. But...if JCB starts exhibiting same tendencies, I'll bet he ends up in med school.

 

[hawkeyebob62]

It isn't a weak arm, it's a complete lack of accuracy beyond 10 yards. Mid-range, he seems to always throw a half-step behind the receiver. Long-range he is off by a yard in any direction.