Iowa QB Improvement? Concerns with Stanzi Not Improving in Off Season

J

JtownHawk

Member
I wanted to open a question up to debate. But before I do, I have to qualify it by saying I think Stanzi is our de facto QB next year. Despite his atrocious tendency to not only throw interceptions, but pick sixes, he is still a proven winner and a team leader. I know he has the experience over Vandenberg and that Coach Ferentz has confidence in him. I like him to be our staring QB next year, no exceptions.

But here is my concern with Stanzi. I think his interceptions this past year came from bad decision making. I think he throws a good ball, but I question some of his decisions. I also think he tends to stare down receivers. With that being said I have seen him check down or not throw at all, so I think he is improving. In fact the first three series of the Orange Bowl I was unbelievably happy with his performance, and then he regressed.

My concern is that next season his number of interceptions will not reduce significantly.I think this because as a general trend Iowa QBs under the direction of O'Keefe as the QB Coach do not improve much as their careers progress.

I am excluding Banks and Chandler from the discussion because they were only one year starters. That leaves Tate and Christensen. It seems to me - without pulling the stats - that both QBs did not improve much. In fact it seems Tate was his very best during his sophomore campaign. I know there are other factors - Oline play, Tates hand injury, receiving corps, etc., but it just seems to me that our QBs don't make that greate of strides while they are here.

Anyone care to discuss?

Moreover, has any Ferentz-era QB made it to the NFL in any capacity? Who was the last Iowa QB to go to the NFL?
 
I don't have this same worry. Stanzi and the whole team know what could be at stake next year. Some guests on ESPN are saying IOWA goes into next year as the favorite to win the Big 10. The team knows what the record could have been this year. The team will have more experience at running back so the running game should be better and carrying more of the load. The receivers will be more experienced. I think Stanzi improves dramatically next year. Time will tell on that. But I am sure not going to lose any sleep over it all.

The team and coaches will come in very focused next year. It could really be the "Year of the HAWKS" and I don't think Stanzi will be the stumbling block.
 
I posted in other forums...

JtownHawk said:
I wanted to open a question up to debate. But before I do, I have to qualify it by saying I think Stanzi is our de facto QB next year. Despite his atrocious tendency to not only throw interceptions, but pick sixes, he is still a proven winner and a team leader. I know he has the experience over Vandenberg and that Coach Ferentz has confidence in him. I like him to be our staring QB next year, no exceptions.

But here is my concern with Stanzi. I think his interceptions this past year came from bad decision making. I think he throws a good ball, but I question some of his decisions. I also think he tends to stare down receivers. With that being said I have seen him check down or not throw at all, so I think he is improving. In fact the first three series of the Orange Bowl I was unbelievably happy with his performance, and then he regressed.

My concern is that next season his number of interceptions will not reduce significantly.I think this because as a general trend Iowa QBs under the direction of O'Keefe as the QB Coach do not improve much as their careers progress.

I am excluding Banks and Chandler from the discussion because they were only one year starters. That leaves Tate and Christensen. It seems to me - without pulling the stats - that both QBs did not improve much. In fact it seems Tate was his very best during his sophomore campaign. I know there are other factors - Oline play, Tates hand injury, receiving corps, etc., but it just seems to me that our QBs don't make that greate of strides while they are here.

Anyone care to discuss?

Moreover, has any Ferentz-era QB made it to the NFL in any capacity? Who was the last Iowa QB to go to the NFL?
Click to expand...

But Tate's numbers improved greatly from 2004 to 2005. In every category. TD to INT ration went from 20-14 to 22-7. His yards per attempt went from 7.42 to 8.03. Completion percentage stayed very good at 62%. He threw for 3 more yards per game while throwing fewer passes.

Christensen didn't improve, but how much is because of coaching and how much was because he just wasn't very good? I'm no coach, but throwing accuracy for a QB is kind of like a jump shot for a basketball player. Yes, you can improve it, but only to a degree. Stanzi has his faults, but his ability to accurately throw the intermediate to deep passes and to throw on the run is huge for this offense. He went 17-29 in the Orange Bowl with the drops by DJK and Sandeman, and a would-be TD except for Robinson falling in the end zone.

To answer your question, no there have not been QB's in the Ferentz era in the NFL. The last Iowa QB to complete a pass in the NFL was Mark Vlasic. There may be someone on the roster who will break that streak (Stanzi, Vandenberg, Derby) but that isn't an overriding concern of mine.
 
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Egami - so there are like three other threads discussing whether or not Iowa QBs actually improve in the Ferentz era.

Since you are so enlightened, could you please direct me to those threads so I might have a decent conversation with the people over there?
 
I don't think Stanzi will throw 15 interceptions in basically what amounts to 10 games and one quarter, next year.
 
JtownHawk said:
I wanted to open a question up to debate. But before I do, I have to qualify it by saying I think Stanzi is our de facto QB next year. Despite his atrocious tendency to not only throw interceptions, but pick sixes, he is still a proven winner and a team leader. I know he has the experience over Vandenberg and that Coach Ferentz has confidence in him. I like him to be our staring QB next year, no exceptions.

But here is my concern with Stanzi. I think his interceptions this past year came from bad decision making. I think he throws a good ball, but I question some of his decisions. I also think he tends to stare down receivers. With that being said I have seen him check down or not throw at all, so I think he is improving. In fact the first three series of the Orange Bowl I was unbelievably happy with his performance, and then he regressed.

My concern is that next season his number of interceptions will not reduce significantly.I think this because as a general trend Iowa QBs under the direction of O'Keefe as the QB Coach do not improve much as their careers progress.

I am excluding Banks and Chandler from the discussion because they were only one year starters. That leaves Tate and Christensen. It seems to me - without pulling the stats - that both QBs did not improve much. In fact it seems Tate was his very best during his sophomore campaign. I know there are other factors - Oline play, Tates hand injury, receiving corps, etc., but it just seems to me that our QBs don't make that greate of strides while they are here.

Anyone care to discuss?

Moreover, has any Ferentz-era QB made it to the NFL in any capacity? Who was the last Iowa QB to go to the NFL?
Click to expand...

I believe Stanzi is 18 or 19-4 as a starter. Regardless of INT's you don't and can't expect much more than this.
 
JtownHawk said:
Egami - so there are like three other threads discussing whether or not Iowa QBs actually improve in the Ferentz era.

Since you are so enlightened, could you please direct me to those threads so I might have a decent conversation with the people over there?
Click to expand...

There are like 3 threads discussing Stanzi and his improvement. Should be easy to find.
 
Stanzi throws one of the best deep balls I've ever seen. He also throws some of the stupidest INTs.

But....all he does is win. And he is a leader.
 
Sure they did...

JtownHawk said:
Dodger -

I just saw Tate's numbers. It is true they improve from 04 to 05, so I have no problem there. But they do regress significantly from 05 to 06.

Drew Tate Stats, News, Photos - Iowa Hawkeyes - NCAA College Football - ESPN

And no one has answered my question about Ferentz-era QBs to the NFL.
Click to expand...

regress in 2006 and he was also injured the entire year and no longer had Solomon and Hinkel to throw to. His receiving corps was Dominique Douglas and Herb Grigsby.
Any QB has to be judged within the context of the team. Tate DID improve his decision-making. Not surprisingly, didn't play as well in 2006 with a strained rib and poorer receivers.

As far as NFL QB's, is your point that our coaching sucks because we haven't had an NFL QB? So few QB's make it each year in the NFL, you kind of either have the physical gifts and mental capacity to play in the NFL or you don't. Jeremiah Masoli is a great college QB but he won't play in the NFL. Does that mean Chip Kelly can't coach?
 
"
JonDMiller -

Why? Just becaues. "

Because Rick is a film rat and knows he needs to work on the mistakes. I'm also not positive that all of the picks were Rick's fault. He certainly has things he needs to work on, but overall, no other QB gives Iowa a better chance to win.

Also, take a look at Colt McCoy's numbers this year.
 
I think you have Colin Cowherd Syndrome. If you aren't familiar the syndrome is where you take something small and turn it into a trend. For example, one questionable throw is not "regressions" it's just one questionable throw. It's a throw that if it was a little more accurate, if DJK comes back harder for the ball, if the defender hadn't made a terrfic play, wouldnt have mattered at all.

Stanzi made solid strides this year. He took care of the ball much better while in the pocket (fewer fumbles) and for the most part made good decisions with where to go with the football. The burdon on him to carry the offense was his this year. He didn't have SG to hand the ball off to 25 times a game (Jewel was good for another 5-10 carries). The ball was placed in his hands early and often this year and for the most part he responded.
 
I just wish Stanzi would put some zip on the ball to the flats. That pick in the OB was kinda just chucked out there, on the flip side not sure anybody has the touch he does. That pass to Sandeman had me saying "How the hell". He'll be even better next year.
 
I've heard that Stanzi simply does not miss in practice. Players said he's crazy good. The pressure was on him all year because of the FROSH running game. Just wait when the entire offense doesn't rest on his shoulders....could be a scary year for the rest of the B10.
 
We lose some VERY VERY good OL this year. Bulaga and Calloway are 2 of the best if not the best we've had since that ridiculous 2002 line. The will make everyone's job harder--stanzi and our RBs.
 
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